BSG  From the Beginning
by DeniseBickmore
Summary: This story is based upon the plot of the BSG series pilot, season one of the series, and a small portion of season two. I have tried to follow the series as much as possible, with the addition of AJ  Athena  Darr as a serious love interest for Lee Adama.
1. Chapter 1

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world!This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I recieve no financial benefit from this.

Note: I loved the character of Lee Adama, and it bothered me when he was paired with D as a love interest. So, I have introduced a major character-AJ Darr-into the pilot and carried her throughout the series. For the most part, I tried to stay true to the series plot, but a few things had to be changed to include the new character.

Warning: This chapter contains sexual content.

Chapter One

Beginnings and Endings

Captain Lee "Apollo" Adama arrived on the Battlestar Galactica despite his hearty wishes to be somewhereanywhereelse in the known and unknown universe. His chiseled jaw was clenched in a subdued sort of anger, and his blue eyes shone coldly. The absolute last thing he wanted was to see his father, whether in public or in private. The harsh words hed spoken when they were last together still echoed in his ears and, despite the look of pain on his fathers face, he couldnt bring himself to regret having said them. He had sincerely meant them at the time, and his feelings hadnt changed in the two years since then. His father was directly responsible for Zaks death, though Lee was sure his father would never accept the responsibility. Lee had lost a brother he deeply loved because of a lifetime of pressure placed on them both by a father who could accept nothing less than total perfection from his sons.

At a relatively young age Lee had said to hell with the old man and done what hed wanted with his life, but Zak had been determined to please their father in any way he could. He went to the academy because hed been told his entire life that to be a man worth respecting, he had to have pilot wings on his collar, and the academy was the first step toward that lofty goal. Zak made it through the academy in the middle of his class, and then had gone straight on to flight school. He went to his death doing what the old man wanted, despite the fact that he was an average pilot, at best.

Well, for good or ill, he was headed into his fathers territory the Battlestar Galactica.

Lee took a deep breath and opened the canopy of his Viper, watching the beehive of activity in the landing bay. Surprisingly enough, hed had to do the entire landing "hands on", when on most ships the process was automated once the pilot placed the ship on the proper entry vector. Another one of the old mans quirks, he thought with an irritated shake of his head as he stiffly climbed out of the cockpit. He had no idea how he was going to frakking get through the next day so near his father and all the people who thought the old man was the gods gift to the colonies. If he had his way, hed be light-years away from both the Galactica and his old man.

Things went from bad to worse to miserable as he was forced to act honored and humbled to fly the old mans forty-year-old bird when he was to do his fly-by during the ceremony that afternoon. But he had to admit the squadron looked like a good group of people who knew their business, if you could get past the obvious adoration they felt for the _Almighty Adama_. He could tell by the looks that the other crew and pilots sent his way that they considered him an arrogant prig with a stick up his ass. But he couldnt unwind and relax on his fathers ship. In his fathers kingdom.

At that moment, Lee had never hated his last name, and his family connection, more.

And things got even worse, though he hadnt thought it possible, when he finally found his oldest friend, Kara Thrace. Kara went by the call sign Starbuck, and had been his roommate in the academy. It was through him that she had met and fallen in love with his brother, Zak. Their history together was long and volatile, but he knew he could always count on her to see him for what he was not just the old mans son. Almost every instance of trouble hed been in through the years had been at her influence. She was a free spirit, to say the least.

He found her in the brig, her feet propped up on a metal cot as she did pushups. She was as lean and mean looking as she had always been, and he smiled his first honest smile of the day as he watched her. Her light blonde hair was cut short and the sweaty locks were pushed behind her ears. Her fair skin was flushed and damp with exertion and her regulation tank and work pants clung to every damp curve and indentation of her womanly, yet muscular, form. As he looked at her he knew exactly why most of the men on this ship, and every other one shed been posted to, were hot for her. Though she was the least feminine woman hed ever met in his life, she still had all the right curves to entice the male of the species, and an attitude that posed a definite challenge to incite even the most indifferent of men.

He had a love/hate relationship with this woman that went beyond friendship and into the realm of family. She was a total pain in the butt, but he respected and admired her despite her cocky attitude and the enormous chip on her shoulder. With Kara Thrace, you always knew where you stood, whether good or bad.

"This seems familiar," he said dryly to get her attention as he gripped the bars of the cell, watching her. As a matter of fact, hed been to visit her in the brig more times through the years than he could count. Her mouth and uncontrolled temper combined with excessive alcohol could usually be counted on to land her there at least a few times a year. If not for the old man, Lee had no doubt shed have been cashiered from the military for her insubordination.

"Captain Adama, sir," she drawled, looking up at him mid pushup. "Sorry I wasnt there to greet you with the rest of the squadron. Did they kiss your ass to your satisfaction?" she asked with a smirk as she rose to her feet and took a step toward the bars that stood between them.

He fought the urge to grin, but he didnt want to give her the satisfaction. Gods love her. She was cocky enough already for a pilot spending her time in hack. "So, whats the charge this time?"

"Striking a superior asshole."

"Ahh. Ill bet youve been waiting all day to say that one," he commented, biting the inside of his cheek to keep his expression deadpan. It was hopeless, though. A small grin escaped as she gave him the look that silently told him to kiss her ass, and his chuckle escaped despite his best efforts.

"Most of the afternoon, yeah," she admitted. "So how longs it been?"

"Two years."

"Two years! We must be getting old," she said with a slight frown. "Seems like the funeral was just a couple months ago."

"Yeah," he agreed, his mood beginning to sink again at the unexpected change in topic. He hadnt expected Kara to bring up such a bad time in both of their lives so casually. He still didn't like to talk-or even think-about Zak's death.

"Your old mans doing fine. We dont talk about it much. Maybe two or three times a year. He still struggles with it though," she added softly through pursed lips, her tone contemplative.

Her unexpected mention of his father washed away what little was left of his grin, along with more than a bit of the pleasure he had felt at seeing Kara again after so long. He knew where this conversation was headed, and he sure as hell didnt want anything to do with it. She was like a dog with a bone sometimes, and he could tell that he and his fathers relationship was going to be the bone. Lee looked away, again wishing he was somewhere else.

"I havent seen him."

"Why not?"

"Kara, dont even start," Lee warned, shaking his head. Why the hell hadnt he fought the instinct to see her and hidden away someplace until his duty was done? And why couldnt they just be glad to see each other like the old friends they were without all the verbal sparring? It had been a frakking big mistake to come to see her. He could see that now.

"How long are you going to do this?" she asked in obvious exasperation.

"Im not _doing_ anything," Lee countered sullenly.

"He lost a son, Lee!"

"And whose responsible for that?" he spat, clenching his jaw in an attempt to hang onto the threads of his temper. For the past two years, since shed met his father before the funeral, her loyalty had shifted to rest upon the _great_ Commander William Adama. He didnt think anything would ever change that now. In his father shed found the family shed been without most her life and would never be able to see that it was the old man who was responsible for Zaks death.

She shook her head as his words soaked in. "Same old Lee. You havent changed either," she commented, her tone telling him that her words were not a compliment. Hell, what had he expected?

"Zak was my brother!" he gritted out, anger flaring inside him as he realized how alone he truly was now. Even his oldest friend was firmly entrenched in the other side. It was a bitter pill to swallow and his stomach churned with acid at her defection.

"And what was he to me? Nothing?" she shot back in a voice that was deadly in its softness.

"Thats not what I meant, and you know it," he replied, his temper boiling at her inability to, just _once_, see his side on this particular issue. No matter what he said, she still insisted that the old man had no guilt or responsibility for Zaks death. Her tunnel vision infuriated him!

"You know you should go," she told him softly, her angry eyes shooting fire at him. "Im getting the urge to hit another superior asshole."

Lee stood and looked at her for a long moment and then turned and slowly walked out the door. Through the years theyd managed to avoid any knock down, drag out fights, but he thought those days just might be past. It was apparent to him that shed tear him a new asshole before she let him say anything negative about his father in front of her. And no matter how he wished it were otherwise, he knew he was far from ready to forgive the old man for the lifetime of indifference hed inflicted upon his sons.

* * *

><p>AJ "Athena" Darr wandered the decks of Colonial Transport 738 Heavy, her mind light-years away. Shed seen her entire family this past week and, despite how much she loved them all, they were exhausting! Her mother and stepfather smothered her with love and concern, though in such a kind and cheerful manner she felt shed be the worst daughter in the universe were she to complain. Her younger sisters wanted to hear everything about her life during the past year, thinking that her post was a lot more exciting than it actually was.<p>

Athena had lasted only one day before she escaped to her stepfathers mechanical engineering shop. She had stripped down to her boxer shorts and uniform tank before pulling on an old coverall and crawling under a stripped down Viper Mark II. What a find! Other than the nuclear core, it was structurally intact, and Athena felt herself begin to relax as she tested components and began replacing some of the burned out mechanisms.

"I thought Id find you here," her stepfather stated with a grin as he rolled under the Viper from the opposite side. His gray-blue eyes sparkled at amusement as he passed her the exact wrench she needed. "I see you found my new toy. I was saving it for when you came home."

"I couldnt believe my eyes! Where did you get it? If you had a core, I have no doubt we could get her up in the air,"" Athena responded excitedly, smiling back at the man she had always known as her father. He'd been the one to pick her up whenever she fell since she was a toddler, and she loved him deeply. He understood her. He knew even better than her mother what made her tick.

"And that, my girl, is why theres no core! I picked her up for a song, thinking that we could restore her next time you came home," he admitted, anticipating her next move and handing her the next size larger wrench. "What do you think?"

"The hydraulics are shot, but should be easy to replace. The electrical system has been stripped, but that too, should be easy to fix. Give me two days and a core, and well have her flying like new!" Athena answered with a laugh.

He grinned back at her, his love for the young woman he considered his eldest daughter sparkling in his eyes and expression. "Two days we have. But a core is _way_ beyond my toy budget. Your mother would have my hide! Are you going to be here long enough to help me?" His question was serious despite the playful twinkle in his eyes.

Athena realized that she had not been home for any length of time since shed first started at the military academy. About the time shed discovered the identity of her biological father and found herself pulled into the complexities of his life. And she suddenly realized that her stepfather, the man who had dried her tears and taught her most of her valuable life lessons, had missed her. Because of him, she only knew how to fly complicated aircraft she knew how to build and maintain them, as well. "Im sorry, dad."

He looked at her silently with his head tilted in confusion. "For what?"

"Im sorry I havent been home more in the past six or seven years. Ive-"

"Whoa!" he interrupted, reaching over to push a stray lock of hair out of her face. "I was not trying to imply that you didnt visit enough. Youre a grown woman, Athena. You have a wonderful life that youve made for yourself, through your own hard work. Your mother and I couldnt be more proud of you though, yes, we do miss you. But youre doing what all children are supposed to do grow up and follow your own path."

"I love you, dad," Athena told him with a tear filled smile. It was because of him that she was where she was and who she was today. There had been no one more influential in her entire life. No one. "Finding my biological father never changed that in the slightest."

"I know, baby girl," he replied with a teary smile of his own. Then he shook his gray head and cleared his throat. "So. How much time do you have? Id love your help with this heap of metal."

"I have exactly three days until I have to report back to the Presidents detail," she told him, going over her coming schedule in her mind. "Then I have one day before flying out with the Secretary of Education to the decommissioning of the Battlestar Galactica."

"That sounds like fun. Id give a years income to see the inner workings of Galactica," he added with sincerity. "They made them right back thenwith real mechanical parts. The ships they put out now are run by computers programs and plastic gismos."

"Youre just an old fogie," Athena chided him with a laugh, even though she privately agreed. "I can think of nothing more I'd like better than to spend three days with you and mom and this Mark IV!"

Athena had spent three precious, uncomplicated days with her parents before reporting back to her most recent assignment as personal pilot to the President of the Twelve Colonies. Flying around the man who was not only president, but also her biological father.

She had grown to love him since shed first met him at sixteen, as she had gotten used to a more complicated life. Until this year they had only seen each other two or three times a year, and always in secret. His political life did not lend itself to the introduction of an almost grown daughter whom he had never known and never supported. In his defense, he hadnt even known about her existence until she was almost grown and, to his credit, had instantly taken great interest in her life. He had offered sage advice and career guidance that led to her application into the military academy. Due to her excellent school grades and her outstanding mechanical ability, she had been accepted right out of public school. She had flown through the academy and graduated in the top of her class, and then gone right into basic flight. It was there she discovered a love for flying that exceeded her love for all things mechanical, and knew what she was meant to do with the rest of her life. Be a pilot.

As the top graduate in her basic flight class, she had been a shoo-in for fighter pilot training, then officers candidate training, and finally War College. She was only four months from graduating as a full lieutenant when her father had asked her to join his detail as his lead Raptor pilot. After being assured she could return to War College after the one-year detail was complete, she agreed, looking forward to the time getting to truly know her biological father. He had seen to it that she received her rank prior to starting the Presidential Transportation Detail, and a new segment of her life had begun.

It was the introduction of Secretary of Education, Laura Roslin, which had brought her to the Galactica Decommissioning Detail. Athena had known Laura for as long as she had her father, and knew that the two were long-termthough secretlovers. Laura was a very down-to-earth woman that Athena admired greatly. Knowing that Athena would dearly love to visit the Galactica, one of the original battlestars, Laura had asked that Athena be her Raptor pilot. It wasnt until they were well away on the trip to Galactica, that Athena discovered the Colonial Transport ship was to dock directly inside the enormous Galactica, and her Raptor wasnt even needed for the transfer of Lauras entourage. However, so far it had been a great trip and she was having the time of her life.

* * *

><p>Lee survived the public ordeal of publicity photos with his father, and truly did his best to bite his tongue when he was forced to be alone with the man moments later. After the earlier argument with Kara, it was all he could do to remain civil to his father through the small talk about Lees promotion to captain and his mothers engagement. Finally, hoping to escape the tension that was building uncontrollably, he asked to be dismissed.<p>

"Why dont you talk to me, Lee?" his father asked softly, making an obvious attempt to break the solid ice wall between them.

"Wh" Lee stopped and laughed harshly. Lee had no intention of succumbing to some phony father-son moment. He was here because hed been ordered to, not because hed been dying to see the old man. Hed simply had no choice. Frak! He hated how, despite his thirty years, his father still managed to make Lee feel like a child in his presence. "Well, what do you want to talk about?"

"About anything. Youve been here for an hour."

"Well, I dont have anything to say." Lee replied in what he hoped was his most casual and unemotional voice. However, his heart was racing and his head was beginning to throb from the tension of the day and now being trapped in the same room with his father. He could feel his anger beginning to radiate as if from his very pores. "My orders said to report here for the ceremony. So, Im here. And Im going to participate in the ceremony. But there wasnt anything in my orders about having any heart-to-heart chats with the old man."

"Accidents happen in the service," his father said abruptly, cutting to the heart of the matter.

"Dad. Listen, I"

"You know, all the things that you talked about, the last time we were together"

"I really dont want to do this!" Lee gritted out, wild to do anything to stop the direction of this conversation. Argument. Whatever the hell it was! He didnt want any part of it.

"at the funeral" his father persisted.

"I _really_ dont want to do this," Lee insisted for a second time through gritted teeth. Gods! Would the old man never listen?

"they still ring in my ears, after two years," Bill admitted, still looking away from Lee.

"Good!" Lee spat, his voice brimming with the anger that was ready to bubble over and burn them both. He hesitated for a moment in an attempt to calm his temper and then continued. "Good, becauseyou know what? They were meant to." Now all he wanted was for the old man to hurt as much as he did! As much as his mother did! Just for one moment, let the person who was the most to blame feel the pain that had resulted from his actions, or his inaction. Lee wasnt sure which part bothered him more. The times his father interfered and pushed him and Zak, or the times he acted as if he didnt even have two sons at home.

His father looked up at the wall and took a deep breath as if trying to defuse Lees anger. "Zak had a choice. You both did."

But the absurdity of the words only made Lee snort in disbelief. It was frakking unbelievable! As if there had ever really been any choice for Zak or Lee. "A man isnt a man until he wears the wings of a Viper pilot. Doesnt that sound at all familiar to you?" he demanded furiously, his muscles bunched and tensed.

"Thats not fair, son."

"No, its _not_ fair," Lee agreed as he took a furious step toward the man who was his father. He forced his voice to remain calm and firm, when all he wanted to do was cry and rage all at once. "Because _one_ of us wasnt cut out to wear the uniform."

"He earned his wings just like we all did."

"_One_ of us wasnt cut out to be a pilot," Lee persisted cruelly, his voice breaking slightly despite his best efforts. His build-up feelings of hatred and anger toward his father were beginning to seep through his veneer of civility. "_One_ of us wouldnt have even made it into flight school if his old manhis daddyhadnt pulled the strings!"

"Thats an exaggeration. I did nothing for him that I wouldnt have done for anyone else," Adama stated, his face stony as he continued to look across the staff room, away from Lee.

"Youre not even listening to me," Lee said in little more than a whisper, feeling as he always did in his fathers presence. Unheard. Unheeded. Unloved. His hurt mutated into a ferocious feeling of anger and unresolved hatred that he could no longer restrain. "Why cant you get this through your head? Zak did not belong in that plane! He shouldnt have been there. He he was only doing it for you." Lee hesitated and took a deep breath. He smiled in brutal coldness as he stared coldly at his father. "Face it. You killed him."

Though his father didnt so much as flinch, Lee could see that his words had struck home, stabbing the older man through the heart. For a moment, he feared that he had gone to far this time. Because for the first time in his life, Lee thought his father looked old. Old and tired and lonely.

"Thatll be all, Captain." The commander stood stiffly, not moving a muscle.

Lee looked at his father for several long seconds, wishing things could be different. Gods, how he wished they could just talk to each other without using their words as weapons to poke and prick at each other. With a last look at his father, Lee turned and walked from the room.

Lee did his duty, flying his fathers old, refurbished Viper Mark II in formation during the ceremony and then moving into position to escort the Secretary of Education and the reporters back to Caprica. He listened to his fathers speech in amazement, his anger bubbling away into nothing but a sense of numbness. Until he was filled with only sadness and regret.

"The Cylon war is long over," his fathers voice came over the wireless, as raspy and vital as ever. "Yet we must not forget the reasons why so many sacrificed so much in the cause of freedom. The cost of wearing the uniform can be high." There was a pause so long that Lee wondered if the wireless radio had lost its frequency. Just when he was getting ready to fiddle with the dial, his father began again. "Sometimes its too high. You know, when we fought the Cylons, we did it to save ourselves from extinction. But we never answered the question, _Why_? Why are we as a people worth saving? We still commit murder because of greed, spite, jealousy. And we still visit all of our sins upon our children."

Lee felt his heart race at those particular words. What was his father trying to say? Was there a message in the words that was directed at him? Or was he fooling himself and hearing what he _wanted_ to hear from his father. Lee leaned forward slightly in the cockpit as he continued to listen.

"We refuse to accept the responsibility for anything that weve done. As we did with the Cylonswhen we decided to play God. Create life. And that life turned against us. We comforted ourselves in the knowledge that it really wasnt our fault. Not really. Well, you cannot play God and then wash your hands of the things that youve created. Sooner or later the day comes when you cant hide from the things that youve done anymore."

Lee breathed in and out with shuddering, emotion filled breaths. Deep in his heart of hearts he believed his father was reaching out and sending him a message. An apology. An acceptance of guilt. Would this change anything between them? Lee wasnt sure. So many hurtful things had been said and donemany of them on Lees part. If he were honest with himself, Lee had to admit that he had unleashed his anger toward his father in hopes of getting past the iron exterior and reaching the father he still loved, despite it all. And now he wondered if, perhaps, he had gotten through. But at what cost? His father had sounded old, tired, and beaten. And Lee knew he was the one who had made him feel that way.

As much as he didnt want to admit it, he had become very much like the man hed hated for so many long years. Isolated. Cold. Needing no one. There was a tiny sense of pridebut more of sorrowin acknowledging that fact.

They were not even two hours away from the Galactica when reports of Cylon attacks began to come in over the wireless and Lee experienced his first heart-pounding combat with an enemy he had never before seen in space. He prayed under his breath as he maneuvered and fired the ancient Viper, but managed to destroy the missile that had been fired at the Colonial ship, and losing control of his own ship in the process. Within minutes after he docked his damaged Viper back within the transport ship that rescued him, he knew that things were not looking good, but his respect for Laura Roslin, the Secretary of Education, had increased a thousand fold.

He had spent most of the afternoon following along behind Secretary Roslin, trying to take her measure and ensure she had the proper advice on which to base her weighty decisions. In the process, he learned that the woman was a force with which to be reckoned. For a woman he would have considered more used to politics than the reality of war, she had a good head on her shoulders and was able to cut thought the trivial to what was really important and necessary in each situation that confronted them. She had the demeanor of a general, a substantial dose of confidence, and was ultimately the highest ranking cabinet member to survive the Cylon attacks.

Lee had watched in pity as she received the news of the destruction of Caprica and the deaths of the President and all of the resident cabinet. Her face paled and she took several deep, calming breaths before looking up at the pilot of the transport ship and asking if he could find a priest. The loss she felt at the death of the president and so many friends was evident in her face as she was confirmed as the new president of the Twelve Colonies, and Lee stood staunchly at her side the entire time. He couldnt take on any of her burdens for her, but he could certainly be one of the rocks she could lean on should she need support or assistance in the coming days.

For a few moments at least, in the presence of the new President Roslin, Lee had felt a little of his own confidence return. That is, until the moment he spoke to his father over the radio, and was forced to respectfully decline to follow what Lee considered the most sensible plan hed heard since the attack. As much as Lee questioned the old mans abilities as a husband and father, he had no doubt his father was one of the most adept military leaders of his time. The man inspired confidence and loyalty in his troops for damned good reason.

"This is Apollo," Lees spoke into the headset, relieved beyond description to discover that his father and the Galactica had survived the initial Cylon attacks. In the back of his mind he had feared the worst. "Go ahead, Actual."

"How are you?" the Commander asked, hesitating in what could only be described as an awkward manner. "Is the ship all right?"

"Were both fine," Lee responded in a sarcastic tone. Even at the end of the world as they knew it, his father was uncomfortable with anything emotional or even slightly personal. However, Lee was able to read between the lines and knew the old man was simply at a loss for words that could be spoken over a public radio frequency. "Thanks for asking."

"Is your ships FTL functioning?"

"Thats affirmative." Lee frowned, knowing instinctively where this conversation was headed. "Then youre ordered to bring yourself and all your ships passengers to the rendezvous point. Acknowledge," the Commander ordered.

How the hell was he to answer that without directly disobeying the orders of a commanding officer? At the same time, he was acting upon the orders of the new President of the Colonies. Frak! Now he was really going to be between a rock and a hard place! Well hell, what else was new? He should be used to that by now. "Acknowledge receipt of message."

"What the hell does that mean?" his father demanded, his anger very apparent in his tone. The old ma knew that in speaking those words Lee was subtly declining to follow his command and he didnt like it one bit.

"It means, I heard you," Lee replied impatiently. For better or worse, he was here with the President and he owed her his loyalty. He was the only military advice she had available, and he couldnt leave her and the others to the Cylons. He wouldnt.

"Youre going to have to do a lot better than that, Captain."

Lee closed his eyes. Some things never changed. Even across space they were again at cross-purposes and arguing. No matter what he said, the Commander was never going to see things Lees way. "Were engaged in rescue operations. By order of the president."

"You are to abort your mission immediately!"

"The President has given me a direct order," Lee protested in return. He was in the middle of a no-win situation, and he knew it. He couldnt disobey his orders from the president, but he _really_ didnt want to disobey the Commanders either. Lee was pretty damned sure he was going to lose no matter which choice he made.

"Youre talking about the S_ecretary of Education_. Were in the middle of a war!" The Commanders fury was apparent in his voice. He wasnt used to his orders being countered or disobeyed. "And youre taking orders from a schoolteacher!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Lee saw the President return to the cockpit. The crook of her eyebrow told Lee that shed heard his fathers disparaging words. In that instant, Lee knew he would never leave the President at a time when she needed him the most. Regardless of the personal cost to himself. At the same time, the dradis display began a subtle beeping and Captain Russo leaned over to see who or what was approaching.

"Weve got trouble," the Captain said, looking in alarm between Lee and the president.

"Uh, stand by, Galactica." Lee said abruptly and pulled off his headset, taking the few short steps to scan the console. Frak! There were two inbound Cylon fighters and their transport ship was defenseless. They had no weapons and not much time to initiate a FTL jump. What in the gods name were they going to do now?

When President Roslin refused even to attempt a jump to safer space and abandon the passenger liner they were attempting to rescue, Lees brain locked onto something hed seen earlier and knew there was only one possible chance for them. He excused himself brusquely and ran down to the bay where his now non-functioning Viper was docked behind a Colonial Raptor, remembering that he had seen a set of energy coils from the Galactica stored there. It was a slim chance, but if he could send out a strong enough energy burst, it might look enough like a nuclear blast to fool the Cylons and buy them some much needed time.

"Oh gods, please let this work!" he said as he punched in the codes to activate the energy coils. Upon pushing the final keystroke, the force of the power surge knocked him off his feet and onto the floor in an unconscious heap.

Lee blinked his eyes and awoke to find himself laying on the deck floor, the President and Captain Russo leaning over him in obvious concern. They carefully helped him into a sitting position and his mind began to clear. Holy Frak! He had used the energy coils to send out a huge pulse of magnetic energy, which hadhopefullydisabled the warheads that had been fired at them by the Cylons. After explaining what he had done in the simplest of terms they had headed back up the stairs to the main section of the ship. Once again, Laura Roslin proved her intelligence by learning from her mistakes and making the decision to relocate to safer space before the Cylons discovered they hadnt actually been destroyed by the incoming warheads.

It was hours later that he asked to take a few hours rest and prepare for what was to come. They had amassed a surprisingly large number of refugee ships, all fleeing from the relentlessly efficient Cylon attack. Many were damaged, some beyond repair. The ships in the best shape were those that were run by older technology. He had learned from Boomerwho was the only survivor of the Galactica squadron that had faced the Cylonsthat any new, computer run ship had been somehow deactivated and easily destroyed by the Cylons.

Lee had no more shut the hatch to the crew sleeping quarters behind him when the power system put out a loud groan and the engines came to a halt. "Frak," he muttered as he stared into the now pitch-dark room. He closed his eyes and envisioned the room as he had briefly seen it before the lights went off. There had been four sets of bunks on the other side of the room and, since he heard no sleeping or waking noises, he assumed he was alone.

"Attention please," the loudspeaker system crackled into life, echoing around the dark room. "Do not be alarmed. Colonial One has experienced a power shutdown, but this does NOT include the life support systems. Please stay where you are. Wandering around the ship in the dark would not be advisable. We will have the power back on at the earliest possible moment. Thank you."

Lee sighed heavily as he unbuttoned and removed his dress uniform. He laid it out as carefully as possible on the top bunk and sat down to unlace and remove his boots and socks. On an afterthought, he pulled off his tank and tossed it downhopefully on his boots. Life support systems were not connected to the air conditioning, so he had no doubt things were going to get more than a bit stuffy in the small room. Oh well, hed hardly notice as he slept, he thought as he stretched his arms up over his head and worked his stiff shoulder and back muscles. His mind and his body were both on the verge of exhaustion. After having put in a full day prior traveling to the Galactica, then participating in that farce of a ceremony, all added to escorting what was now Colonial One into the path of invading Cylons, he had been left feeling more tired than he could remember being in a long time. The stress of being the lone military voice advising the new president didnt help much either.

He sighed again and dropped back onto the bunk, his head sinking gratefully into the pillow as he stretched his legs out fully. He threw an arm out to the side and was startled to hit warm flesh.

"Take it easy there, pilot," a low, husky voice warned him from the darkness at his side.

"Frak!" he exclaimed, sitting up in alarm and banging his head into the top of the low bunk above him. He hissed in pain as he plopped back down on the pillow, his hands going to the now sore spot at his hairline. "Who the hell are you?"

"Just a tired pilot trying to get a little much-needed rest," the feminine voice told him with a husky chuckle from the pillow beside him. "I was in the middle of a really great dream where I was testing out the new Mark VIII when you hit me in the belly."

"Sorry. Well this is a bit awkward. Im Lee. It was dark when I came in so I just hopped into the first open bunk I found. Any of the others free?" he asked, filing the information about her dream into his head for later review. He hadnt known there were any other military pilots, except for Boomer and those flying Colonial One, on board.

"Nope. I dont think so, Lee. When I came in there were boxes of files and such on all the racks. I just cleared this one. But I dont take much room, so youre welcome to share."

Lee was too tired to probe further and his head was starting to ache from the stress of the day and the none too gentle knock hed just taken. He massaged his throbbing forehead and decided he was going to have one hell of a bump before the end of the day. "You have a name?" he asked the disembodied voice, realizing that she hadnt offered any real information about herself.

"Some people call me Athena," she informed him softly, her voice as tired as he felt. "Now go to sleep. We can do the niceties later."

He both heard and felt her roll over and turn her back to him, and he smiled at her casual manner. She had to be a pilot. Not too many females in his acquaintance would be so indifferent to sharing their bunk with a man that they not only didnt know, but also hadnt so much as seen before. In his experience, only military women were that heedless of their privacy.

He sighed tiredly and closed his weary eyes. So much had happened in the past twenty-four hours of his life. Hed seen his father for the first time since his brothers funeral, and of course theyd argued again. Hed seen Kara, also for the first time since Zaks funeral, and she had threatened to hit him. Hed flown in a Mark II Viper that hadnt been in the air for over forty years, fought with the Cylons who, in the past hed only heard of in abstract, and had witnessed the new president of the colonies being sworn into office. Nothingnot even a strange woman sharing his bunkwas enough to keep him from the sleep he so dearly needed.

* * *

><p>Athena breathed as regularly as she could, as she worked toward slowing the pace of her racing heart. Shed been awakened from her first sleep in two days by the arrival of another pilot in her bunk. She knew he was as surprised to find her there as she was to have him join her, which was the only reason she had been able to handle things so casually. In her twenty-five years, shed never slept with a man in her bunk, and was not able to initiate and handle the casual intimacy that so many of her pilot friends took as a matter of course. She was much too discriminating and introverted in her private life to allow more than a few people close enough to really get to know her.<p>

Oh sure, all her squadron of pilots, as well as the technicians and mechanics knew her, and most seemed to like her, but she was careful not to let anyone in far enough that they would expect her to share her confidences and secrets. They knew only what she wanted known about herself and nothing more. Even her name was a closely guarded secret. Only to herself and her immediate family was she known as Athena. The rest of the world knew her as AJ. She was known as someone in the top of her class at the academy and at flight school, and one who would have graduated with top honors from War College if the Cylons hadnt attacked and destroyed their entire world.

She wasnt sure what had happened to her mother, stepfather and younger sisters, though she knew for fact that her father was dead. The new president, Laura Roslin, had been the one to tell Athena about the death of her father and the rest of the cabinet. They had held each other tearfully, allowing a few moments of grief before the reality of survival had pulled them apart and back to the myriad of things that needed to be done. Now there was no one, except the new president, knew of Athenas existence as the illegitimate daughter of once President Adarr.

All this made it surprising to Athena that she had given her real name to the faceless pilot, Lee. Her only defense was that she had been so deeply asleep that she hadnt been thinking all that clearly when theyd so briefly spoken. Before hed arrived shed cried herself to sleep, grieving privately over the news of her fathers death, and her only excuse was that she hadnt been herself.

Athena found herself growing sleepy again, and was lulled into relaxation by the steady breathing of the man next to her, as well as the warmth of his body so close to hers. She hadnt been able to see him, but she could tell even in the dark that he was a large man. The mattress dipped deeply to one side, gravity making it hard for Athena to stay on her own side of the bunk. And he smelled so damn good! Like leather, soap and spice. Yummy! She smiled to herself as she drifted back to sleep.

Lee sighed contentedly and nuzzled the soft, sweet smelling hair that tickled his nose and gave him an instant hard-on. The woman in his arms smelled like jasmine. He only knew that was what it was because when they were roommates at the academy, Kara had poured a bottle of jasmine scented oil over the top of his head while hed been showering one evening. Hed smelled like jasmine for almost a week, despite the fact that hed shampooed and showered two or three times a day in his attempts to remove the feminine smell from his body.

A hand lay warmly upon his chest, and a mostly bare body was pressed intimately up against his side. The softness of her breasts pressed through a thin layer of her shirt into his ribcage and one of her bare legs had lifted to rest upon the tops of his thighs. Lee stroked the soft thigh that encaged him, and was gratified to hear her sigh lightly in her sleep. Not quite awake, he dipped his head and nuzzled the forehead, eyes and nose that he could reach with his lips. Her scent and feel were intoxicating, and he couldnt resist the temptation of her presence in his arms. Her head tipped upward, and his lips found hers. And damn, but they were soft!

She shifted against him as she woke and he pulled her atop him, her knees straddling his hips. He ran his hands up her thighs and found the hem of her shirt. Without thought, he pulled the shirt up and over her shoulders and head as she leaned down toward him with arms upraised, easing the task. Thank the gods, she was awake and responding to his intimate touch. His hands stroked the firm muscles along her back, and his erection hardened as he heard her sharp intake of breath. His fingers traced their way around her and he caressed the hardened buds of her breasts.

Her body quivered beneath his exploring hands, and her own hands shook as they followed the path of his arms and on down to his chest. Lee moaned with desire as she lightly rubbed his distended nipples before she moved on down to the waistband of his boxer shorts. Her pelvis ground firmly against his erection before she lifted and moved to one side, allowing room for her to slide his shorts down to his ankles. He kicked them off somewhere in the room and reached out for her through the darkness. His hands found hers as he sat up carefully in the bunk, and then stroked down the insides of her arms and on down her sides before using his newfound leverage to push her back onto the mattress. In his exploration he encountered a non-regulation pair of silky panties, and easily slid them down her body. When she was as naked as he was, he straddled her thighs and leaned down to kiss and lick the heated skin of her torso.

She moaned deeply and her body arched beneath him. "Lee," she breathed, her hands reaching out and moving restlessly up and down his ribs and hips. He could feel her muscles trembling and grinned when he realized she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

He lifted slightly to allow room enough for one of his knees to divide her legs. When her legs were stretched wide enough to accommodate him, he moved so that his body rested between the vee of her thighs. "Are you sure?" he asked simply as he lapped his way up her neck and to the softness of her lips. As much as he wanted her, he needed to be sure this was what she wanted. Whoever the hell she was!

"Gods yes, she whispered, her hips lifting beneath him. Her arms moved and he felt her hands glide down his back to rest upon the hardness of his butt. She pulled him against her and he accommodated her by firmly grinding his penis against her warm, damp softness. She pulled his face to hers and they kissed for the first time, wildly and with unrestrained passion.

As their tongues lightly mated, Lee lifted his hips until his penis was in position, and then began the tantalizing slide into her body. She was small and more than a little bit tight, and he slowed down, only to have her lunge abruptly upward until he was completely embedded inside her. She shuddered around him in the same manner as her entire body shivered against his.

"Oh, Gods!" he groaned, never having experienced a woman who was this tight and snug around him. He continued to kiss her tenderly and caress her body in what he hoped were all the right places, as his own body began to move within and against her. In much too short a time he felt her inner muscles begin to spasm round him and he allowed himself the release that loomed so temptingly before him. They both shuddered and shouted incoherent words together, and he knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that her orgasm had been as powerful and amazing as his.

Afterward, he rolled to the back of the bunk and pulled her with him, until she lay atop him with his penis still fully inside of her. As his breathing slowed, he miraculously found himself drifting back into sleep; the warmth, softness and scent of her lulling him into a sense of comfort and security hed never before experienced. He kissed her sleepily on the side of the head and drifted off into the sweet darkness of oblivion.

Athena lay on top of Lee, her own body feeling boneless and completely relaxed. Wow! There were no words to express what she was feeling. Shed never known that sex would be so unbelievably great! It had been a spur of the moment decision on her part when she had awoken to find herself in his arms, and had wondered if she would ever experience the "mind-blowing" sex so many of her friends endlessly talked about. And now, with the Cylons invading and exterminating any humans they found, it hadnt looked likely that shed ever get the chance. Then, this opportunity had come to her, along with the gift of complete anonymity, and she hadnt been able to deny herself the experience.

And she was definitely glad shed given in to the impulse. If she were to die today at the hands of the Cylons, at least shed know that there was definitely hope for the union of the men and women of her species! Lee had been a wonderful, considerate lover, and her first experience with lovemaking had been so much better than shed ever imagined possible. Plus, with the lights out, he would never know who she was if they should ever meet somewhere in the future. Here, in the dark, it had been easy to give herself to this gentle stranger, and she had no regrets.

The lights came back on just as she was beginning to disentangle herself from Lees arms and legs. He was holding on to her as if he feared she would escape, as indeed, she planned to do. She gently kissed him lightly on the cheek and carefully pulled herself out of his arms. The muscles in her thighs were a bit stiff from the intimate activity, and she was a trifle sore inside. Looking down at his now flaccid penis, she wasnt surprised at the ache she was feeling. If he was this large at rest, she could only imagine his size when he was fully aroused! She smiled at the absurdity of her thoughts and gathered her clothing together. She dressed as quietly as possible, not wanting him to awaken and discover her running away.

Once she was back in her uniform she tidied up his dress uniform and stood looking down at him for a few long moments. His light brown hair was cut short on the sides and longer on the top in what was a common military style. Even in sleep, the curves and ridges of his muscles made her catch a breath of complete arousal. He had a flat abdomen with the much coveted six-pack muscles, and just one of his thighs was larger than both of hers. She moved her eyes to study his face, not wanting to forget the man who had introduced her so wonderfully to sexual intimacy. Shed probably never see him again, and one or both of them could be dead by the end of the day, but it was important to her that she remember this man. Lee. Her first and only lover.

Athena sighed heavily and covered him with a light blanket. It was time to get back to work. There were stranded and frightened people who needed her help.

* * *

><p>Lee woke to find the lights on and a light blanket covering him. He stretched for a minute, smiling as he thought about the amazingly sensual dream hed had. Wow! He could almost smell and feel his dream lover against him. He sat up suddenly on the empty bunk, careful not to bump his head this time, remembering that there had been another pilot in the bunk when he had first sacked out. She was long gone and he was naked. He climbed out of the small bunk and looked around. His dress grays were laid out neatly with his tank shirts and his boxer shorts resting on top. His socks were tucked neatly inside his boots. He knew he hadnt been that neat in the darkness. SheAthenamust have straightened up before she left. Pretty considerate for a pilot, he thought in amusement.<p>

He looked down and his amusement transformed into something altogether darker. He frowned as he saw there were smears of blood on his penis and along the front of his thighs. Lee closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he realized his dream lover had been so much more than that. Not only had she been completely real, but shed been a completely real virgin. Something very rare in his world in the world of military pilots. Most pilots were very pragmatic, knowing that they might not live to see the following day, and lived their lives accordingly.

There was nothing left in the cabin to show that Athena had even been there, except for the traces of her blood on his body and her scent on his skin. He hesitated and then washed himself with a wet rag from the small head, removing all traces of her from him. He didnt even know what she looked like, because hed never actually _seen_ her. If he were to walk by her right now, he wouldnt have any idea that she had been the one who had given herself to him with such joyous abandon. But hed know her scent anywhere, he thought with a grin. Jasmine, soap and sex. Lee willed his sudden erection to cease and then dressed hurriedly.

Back to the real world, he thought. When he had time hed ask President Roslin if there were any other Viper pilots on Colonial One, and maybe hed discover who his dream lover had been. And if not, well hed have one frakking good memory to fire him up in this new war that had begun with the Cylons. Amazingly enough, in the worst twenty-four hours of his life, hed just managed to have one of the best experiences ever!

End of Chapter One


	2. Chapter 2

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyme nt and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Chapter Two

Aftermath

DAY TWO

Athena spent most of her day shuttling stranded passengers of disabled ships to other ships that could accommodate them. She was flying without an Electronic Countermeasures Officer, so the stress involved was a lot higher than her normal Raptor jaunts into space. Not to mention the potential threat that every new ship to pop up on her screen could be a Cylon Raider. However, the task at hand was not quite enough to take her mind off her amazing experience with the pilot, Lee.

When she walked or sat a certain way, she felt small twinges of pain. But, oddly enough, there was a sense of satisfaction in each small ache she felt. For a woman who had spent the whole of her adult life avoiding intimacy with anyone, and most especially men, she had decided that intimacy with that particular man had been well worth the wait. She knew that with the uncertainty of life right now, she'd probably never see him again, but last night hadn't been about commitment anyway. It had been about affirming life, blocking out grief, and her not wanting to chance death without having taken that final step into womanhood.

"I hope you're okay, Lee," she whispered to herself as she sealed the ship and took off to deliver yet another group of survivors to their new homes in space.. It was a time consuming and tedious job, but it needed to be done and there weren't enough shuttles to move it along quicker. It was up to her and Sharon, a Raptor jock whos call sign was Boomer, to get the job done. Theyd coordinated with the Captain of Colonial One is determining where the greatest need was, and had worked non-stop all day.

Athenas Raptor was less than a hundred kilometers away from the Cylon ship when it jumped into the space all too near Colonial One. "Frak!" she yelled, manhandling her Raptor into a skillful roll away from the enemy ship. But before it was even out of her line of sight, it had jumped away again without taking so much as a shot at any of the ships that had been easily within it's firing range. Athena drew a deep, shuddering breath as she realized that Raider had no doubt been a scout and more Cylons would be coming soon.

"What is it? Whats wrong?" people from the group of passengers on her Raptor asked, some in shock and some in panic at the unexpected maneuvers she'd just put the ship through.

"A Cylon Raider, but it's gone now," she called back as reassuringly as possible to the dozen people crammed like sardines into the back of her ship. "Lets get you to your new ship."

Athena was docked on the destination ship when she received the call to prepare to begin a FTL jump to a Ragnar ammunition station to join the Battlestar Galactica. She rushed her passengers off the Raptor and insisted she be allowed to take off prior to the freighter closing their landing bay and engaging the FTL drive. She trusted her own flying skills a lot more than some obscure pilot on a commercial transport freighter. She positioned her ship slightly to the side and well behind Colonial One, wanting to keep Laura Roslins ship in physical sight. Laura was someone her father had loved, so she planned on doing everything she could to keep the woman safe. If they needed an escape ship, she would be nearby.

Athena programmed in the designated jump coordinates and listened to the horrified chatter on the radio. Over twenty of the ships in their vector did not have faster than light capability and were begging not to be left behind. Thousand of people were being left to fend for themselves against the Cylons and, as horrible as that was, Athena knew there was no other choice to be made. There was no doubt in her mind that a Cylon force would be upon them at any moment, and the entire fleet could not be sacrificed, even for thousands of helpless people.

"Lords of Kobol, hear my prayer," she whispered as the countdown to jump began. "Be with these brave souls as they live or die according to your design." The countdown was at two when a squadron of Cylon Raiders jumped into their space, followed almost immediately by a BaseStar. "Lords of Kobol, hear my prayer," she repeated as the FTL drive took her away from the exploding Cylon bombs and into the temporary safety of some far off system.

xxxxx

Lee had spent his day trying to take care of the needs of sixty damaged or dying ships, most with casualties and dead aboard. Just when he was beginning to think he was getting things under control, a Cylon Raider jumped into the middle of the fleet. It was only there a matter of seconds before it jumped out again, but Lee was sure they had been scanned and were now marked targets. It was only a matter of time.

"We have to go _now_," he stated vehemently to the president. It was vitally important that she understand the seriousness of the situation they were now in. They were outnumbered and outgunned, and running was the only option that might just save their lives. "The Cylons will be here any minute."

"Can they really respond that fast?" she asked, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"They can, and will. They are almost certainly mustering a squadron at this very moment," he answered gravely. Please Gods, they would be able to get away before it was too late. Even this small amount of time spent talking could mean their deaths if they weren't ready when the Cylons arrived with an attack force.

"Will they be able to track us through a jump?" she asked, her mind following his own train of thought.

"No ma'am, thats impossible," he informed her, shaking his head.

"_Theoretically_ impossible."

"Theoretically," Lee conceded, knowing there was no way to defend his knowledge of space flight to an untrained civilian. All he knew was that it had never been done before, though the military had tried countless times in training. That was good enough for him.

The PR man, Aaron Doral, joined the little group, frowning unhappily, as he had been since the attack had first begun. He had not yet accepted the authority of Laura Roslin, and had been doing his subtle best to sway people away from her lead. His first words when Lee had originally arrived on Colonial One had been intended to influence Lee against the new president. "Madame President," he said with an even deeper frown, "there are still thousands of people on the sublight ships. We can't just leave them."

"I have to agree," said Colonial Ones own pilot, Captain Russo. "We should use every second to get as many people off the sub-lights as we can. We can wait to jump until we pick up a Cylon force moving"

"No!" Lee interrupted fiercely, looking from Captain Russo to the President. By the gods, they had to understand the magnitude of their situation! "They're going to jump right in the middle of our ships with a handful of nukes and wipe us out before we have a chance to act."

"You can't just leave them all behind!" Doral protested with equal vehemence. "You'll be sacrificing thousands of people!"

"But we'll be saving _tens_ of thousands," Lee responded intently, his voice becoming fast and urgent. He had to make them understand the urgency of this matter! "I'm sorry to make it a numbers game, but we're talking about the survival of our race here. We don't have the luxury of taking risks and hoping for the bestbecause if we lose, we lose _everything_." He turned to look directly at the president. "And Madame President, this is a decision that needs to be made right now!"

In an incredibly soft voice full of sorrow and no small degree of determination she answered him. "Order the fleet to jump to Ragnar immediately."

Lee and the two pilots of Colonial One went through their own pre-jump checklist, having sent out the jump codes to the rest of the fleet, and doing their best to ignore the panicked voices coming through the overhead speakers. They broke his heart again and again as they cried out for the fleet not to leave them behind, but Lee knew that acting on his sympathy would only get the entire fleet destroyed.

When his jump countdown reached two, Cylon ships began popping into the local space. Frak! They had cut it close! Lee could do nothing but pray they still had enough time to get away. "Mark," he said quietly and the 40 ships with FTL capability began to flash and jump away. At the same moment, a rapid-fire series of flashes came from each of the Cylon fighters, and long white streamers arced out in great, spreading bundles as the missiles painted their deadly tracers across the sky. Lee watched out the bridge window until Colonial Ones own jump blurred the images as they began the faster than light move through space.

Lee hung his head in sorrow at the thousands of souls they had just been forced to leave behind. It had been at his advice that the president had done so, because he knew that in war you often had to sacrifice the few to save the many. It was hard doing, but the very survival of humanity was going to depend upon hard decision such as these. There was no joy in the people who had been fortunate enough to flee to safety, but rather a potent sense of guilt at their own survival when so many others had just died.

"May the Lords of Kobol keep you all," he murmured under his breath, his own guilt fresh and painful. In a rush of sudden understanding, he wondered if it were the pressure of making decisions like these that had hardened his father into the man he had become.

"Did you say something, Captain Apollo?" the President asked softly, looking over at him with a hint of confusion.

"Just praying, ma'am," he admitted with a shrug, not realizing he'd spoken aloud. There was no way he couldor wouldexplain his thoughts to her.

"Good idea, Captain. The more prayers on our behalf, the better," she agreed with a small, sad smile. "So, tell me, what do you think our next step should be?"

"I think we need to connect with Galactica and see what they know. It's likely they have more military information than we do, and we need that information with which to make good decisions," he told her thoughtfully. They were running blind now, not even sure which direction to move the fleet in beyond Ragnar. It would be great to have other logical minds with which to work out the details and strategies for the future.

"And what do you think Commander Adama will be planning for his next move?"

"Tactics on how to win the war, if I know my father at all," he admitted with a direct look at the president in an attempt to figure out what the point of the question was. "And, with all honesty, he is very good at what he does." Despite Lee's personal conflicts with his father, he could not fail to admit the man had great strengths, as well. The Commander would no doubt be a clear head in muddy times.

"So you think we can win this war, Captain? Do you honestly think that?" She asked his intently, her brown eyes boring into his.

He looked at her for a long moment as the point she had obviously been trying to make, and then sadly shook his head. "If weve lost as many cities, bases, and battlestars as I have been hearing on the rumor mill, then I don't see how we could possibly win with just one battlestar left and a fleet of mostly unarmed civilian ships. The best we can hope for right now is to survive another day," he admitted.

"And that is just what I plan we do. Survive," she said firmly.

Lee's next meeting with his father was emotional, to say the least. When he had made the hasty decision to set off the energy coils on the Colonial One, he hadn't given a thought to the Galactica monitoring their location remotely and his father thinking he was dead. He'd been too busy trying to stay alive to give much thought to anything beyond that particular moment.

"Commander?" Lee called as he walked into his father's quarters. He had heard from crew members that the Commander had received a bit of a beating at the hands of a Cylon who had been waiting on the Ragnar Station. Despite himself, he found he was worried about his father's condition. Regardless of their strained relationship, this was his father. His blood. And now his only remaining family.

The door to the head was closed, so Lee assumed that his father was inside cleaning up. He walked over to his father's desk and found his gaze locked upon a picture of his mother, Zak and himself, taken by his father over twenty years before. He remembered that he had been ten years old, Zak eight, and the photo was taken on a vacation at some ocean-side cabin. The four of them had romped and played in the sand, and they had relished the time with the entire family together. His father was on leave for only a few weeks, and Lee remembered it as a good time. One of those times that you remember for the rest of your life. As he looked at the faces of his mother and brother, both now dead, he felt tears begin to fill his eyes.

He had no photos anymore, he thought suddenly as he struggled to hold back his ragged emotions. The bulk of his personal belongings had been in an apartment on Caprica that he rarely visited, and in those belongings had been mementos and things of his brothers that could never be replaced. This photo was priceless now, and it sat in a place on his father's desk where it could be seen by both his father and anyone who entered the room. Lee sat the photo back down and turned to leave, only to find his father standing not two feet away from him.

"I'm sorry," Adama whispered gruffly as he closed the gap between himself and Lee.

Lee wasn't sure what his father was apologizing for, but it warmed him to hear the never before spoken words. He nodded, looking up at his father. His father's craggy face was bandaged on one side, and covered with scrapes and cuts on several other places. On top if the injuries, he thought the old man looked tired and haggard. It was as though he had aged ten years overnight.

"I, uh, gotta go," Lee stammered, not sure what to say to his father. He only knew that he was tired of fighting. Tired of hating his father. Tired of grieving for a relationship they had never had, but continued to hope was possible.

Adama reached out and grabbed Lee's arm in an iron grasp, stopping him as he had begun to walk by. They looked at each other for long seconds before his father pulled him into a ferocious bear hug. Lee stood there letting his father hold him, afraid to believe it was possible for them to be together without fighting. Afraid to imagine that they could put the past behind them once and for all. Slowly, almost fearing that he would be rebuffed, Lee put his arms around his father's back and hugged him in return. He bowed his head into the comforting shoulder on the man before him and felt hope flood back into his heart.

xxxxx

Athena was docked on the bustling flight deck of the Battlestar Galactica. She had never been on this particular battlestar before the decommissioning ceremony, but at least outwardly it looked like most of the others she'd seen in her military career. The deck was covered with mechanics scurrying from ship to ship, doing all they could to have the Vipers ready for when they would next be needed. She had received permission to land, exited the Raptor with her gear bag, and had then introduced herself to the deck Chief as a pilot on loan to the Secretary of Education, but who had fighter experience.

"Starbuck!" Chief Tyrol called out toward a lanky blonde woman in an untidy flight suit.

"What is it, Chief? I'm ready to head out," she grumbled. "My ship had better be ready!"

"Keep your shirt on," the Chief responded in a fond, familiar manner. "You need another pilot?"

"You better frakking believe it," she answered, her gaze swinging past him to rest on Athena. "You a Viper pilot?"

"Yes, sir. Lt. AJ Darr, reporting for duty. The past few monthsI've been on loan to the Colonial Cabinet for Raptor transport duty," she explained. "I was stationed on Caprica and worked the Presidential Detail."

"Impressive. You trained on Mark VIIs?" Starbuck asked, motioning Athena to walk with her to a battered Mark II Viper. Athena picked up her bag and followed.

"Yes sir. I was on the short list to begin testing the Mark VIIIs this coming year," Athena confided, knowing that an in with the reigning Lieutenant wouldn't hurt her position in the squad. "I'm good, but probably not as good as you are, sir."

"Don't be a kiss ass," Starbuck grumbled, though her cheeks had brightened slightly at the compliment. She lifted a foot to stand on the ladder leading up to the Viper cockpit.

"I wasn't," Athena admitted honestly. Starbuck was a legend in Combat school. Fearless and bold in everything she did. "I heard about you back at Combat during my training, and I'm well aware that I'm lacking in battle experience."

"Well, we're _all_ lacking in practical battle experience when it come to fighting the Cylons. For all that weve read about the Cylon war, this is the real deal and is new to most of us. Plus, now we fly ancient Mark IIs out of Galactica. We'll probably never see a VI again, much less a VII other than Captain Adamas." Starbuck looked away over Athenas shoulder and grinned at someone approaching. "I'll introduce you to the CAG and he can get you squared away. Lee!" she called, "Get you're butt over here."

When Starbuck shouted the name Lee, Athena stopped breathing. It was too much to hope for. Too much to believe that her Lee could be here on Galactica, and to be the CAG, as well! Athena turned slightly and watched the man who was approaching.

Yep. It was definitely her Lee, though he was shorter than she'd thought he'd be. Lying down he'd seemed taller, but the heavy muscles were just as she'd remembered them. His dress grays fit snuggly along the thigh, with each muscle ridge showing through the lightweight material. Plus, the uniform blouse fit snugly along the chest and upper arms. His short brown hair was tousled and his face locked in a stern expression that spoke of tension and stress. Athena took a deep breath and did her best to calm her wild and totally unrealistic thoughts. No matter what he'd been to her last night, she was sure she'd been nothing more than a warm body to him.

"Starbuck. Are you ready to go?" he asked in the smooth voice that Athena remembered so well.

"I'm all set. But before I go, this is Lt. AJ Darr. She was on loan to the Colonial Cabinet and got picked up on the sweep by Colonial One," Starbuck explained, adding a few details that Athena hadn't told her and that weren't entirely true. "Shes ready, willing, and able to sign on as a Viper pilot. You want to talk to her and then, if you approve, do the honors?"

He nodded, not taking his eyes off Starbuck as she climbed into the viper cockpit. "Of course." His gaze turned to sweep along Athena from head to toe, stopping for a moment at her face. "If you'll excuse us for a minute, Lieutenant, I need to speak to Starbuck before she goes."

"Yes, sir," Athena agreed, stepping away a few steps and turning her back to afford them some privacy.

"You know your mission?" Lee asked Starbuck in a very professional, very stern tone.

"Yes, sir. Get out there, look around, and get back in one piece."

"We don't need a hero. We need information."

"I stopped trying to be a hero when the Cylons attacked, Lee. I have no intention of getting killed," Starbuck added almost solemnly.

Athena turned slightly so she could see the two officers out of the corner of her eye. Lee was standing on the middle of the steps, watching as Starbuck strapped into her Viper. He had begun to step down the ladder when Starbuck spoke again.

"Lee? Zak failed basic flight."

"What?" Lee asked in a confused tone. Athena had no idea who Zak was, but the information imparted by Starbuck had the affect of freezing him in place upon the ladder.

"Or at least he should have, but he didn't because I passed him." Starbuck paused and nervously licked her lips. "His technique was sloppy and he had no feel for flying, but I passed him because he and I because I felt something and I let it get in the way of doing my job. And I couldn't fail him," she concluded.

"Why are you telling me this? Why why now?" Lee asked carefully, his hands gripping the ladder rails so hard his knuckles were turning white.

"It's the end of the world, Lee. I thought I should confess my sins." Starbuck gave Lee one last inscrutable look before reaching over and shutting the canopy. The woman turned away from him and went about her business.

Lee watched her for a moment longer before backing down the ladder and then pulling it a safe distance away from the Viper. He stood and watched in silence for a long minute before turning to look back at Athena. She saw him take a deep breath as if to steady himself before giving her a curt nod.

"Lets talk as we walk. I need to be back in CIC in time for Starbucks report," he told her, motioning for her to proceed him to the exit from the flight deck. "Whats your training?"

Athena cleared her throat and waited until he was beside her before beginning. "The academy, both Basic Flight and Combat when they decided I had an aptitude, OCS, and most recently War College.I've flown almost all of the ships from Vipers to Raptors, but most of my hours are in the Mark VI and VII. I was promoted to full Lieutenant upon leaving the College even though I missed the last three months of classes when I was loaned to the Presidential Cabinet for a one-year stint. I think they wanted a pilot who could talk knowledgeably about the military to the president. I flew into Galactica in the Raptor I flew out from Caprica City. You can ask the Chief about my landing, as he was waiting for me when I stepped out. President Roslin, who I've known for a couple years, can also verify who I am and the extent of my training."

"President Roslin, huh?" He looked at her appraisingly, stopping in a small hallway that led to who knew where. Athena had only been on the Galactica once and was now hopelessly lost. He continued to look at her with intense blue eyes and cocked his head slightly. "I'll start your paperwork, but you don't get in a Viper until youve verbally walked through several advanced procedures with Starbuck. Have we ever met? Something about you seems very familiar," he added suddenly.

"I'm not sure," she lied, her eyes locking with his, giving him what she hoped was her most forthright look. "I know you're the CAG and your name is Lee."

"Lee Adama," he told her, holding out his hand to shake hers. "Call sign Apollo. Whats your full name?"

"AJ Darr, sir."

"And the AJ is for?" Lee prompted with upraised eyebrows.

"AJ, sir."

"Hmp. Welcome to the Galactica," he stated with a nod of acceptance. "I'm looking forward to seeing you fly. And, since not too many of our pilots have gone through OCS and War College, we'll no doubt keep your rank as full Lieutenant. That means you'll bunk in here with us officers. All the top racks are taken, but I believe theres two open on the bottom," he added as he opened a hatch. Inside Athena saw a wall of bunks, another wall of lockers, a table and half a dozen chairs, and an open door leading to a communal head. "After you're settled, ask someone to show you to the squadron Ready Room. We'll be doing some tactical planning in a few hours and you'll be able to get your feet wet."

"Thank you, sir. You won't be sorry you gave me a chance," she promised in all sincerity. She was good at what she did.

"I'm sure I won't be," he agreed, nodded goodbye and walked away.

Athena walked into the officers quarters and randomly picked one of the two unmade beds. She opened lockers until she found one that was empty and neatly stowed her gear, which consisted mostly of uniform changes, pictures of her family, a substantial cache of money that was probably worth nothing now, a literary computer that contained over 500 books she had yet to read, and a special book that concealed her birth certificate and a picture of her and her father together by the prototype Mark VIII she'd been scheduled to test out. She found sheets, a blanket and pillow for her bunk, and then sat down to gather her rush of thoughts.

Never in her wildest dreams did she think she'd find her particular Lee in less than twenty-four hours! Then, on top of it all, to find out that he was Commander Adamas son and the CAG, as well, was almost too much to process. She'd known he was a pilot from the first moment theyd spoken, but the fact that he was a Captain and the only son of the highest-ranking officer, put him firmly out of her sphere. There was a strict no fraternization rule in the military, especially between the upper officers and those of lesser rank. Even as a full Lieutenant, any relationship between them would be questioned and undoubtedly frowned upon by the brass. Of course, Athena thought pragmatically, there wasn't much brass left these days. Who knew what the coming days, weeks and months would hold. However, it would probably be in her best interest if Lee didn't discover that she was the woman he'd slept with on Colonial One.

An exotic looking woman with long, straight black hair in a neat ponytail came in and froze for a second as she saw Athena sitting on one of the bunks. "Hey," she greeted casually. "I remember you from Colonial One. I'm Sharon. You bunking here now?"

"Yes. Captain Adama just dropped me off a few minutes ago," Athena told her, watching as Sharon pulled out a chair and sat down. Even though they'd spoken over the radio the previous day, they had never met face to face-though she did remember briefly seeing the other woman across the Landing Bay.. "I'm a Viper pilot. AJ Darr."

"Back on Colonial One weren't you flying a Raptor? Doing salvage and rescue flights?" Sharon asked, her brow wrinkled in thought.

"Yes. That was me. I was on loan to the Colonial Cabinet and ended up doing ship to ship rescue missions from Colonial One after the Cylons attacked," Athena told her. "I can do the job in a Raptor, but my first love is the Viper. You pilot Raptors, right?"

"Yep. I was certified almost two years ago. I planned to go back and get certified on the Viper someday, but" Sharon confessed with a shaky grin. "I'm a little bit sorry and glad about that right now. I suppose it's safer for those of us in a Raptor since we can jump away from trouble, but on the other hand I'm not as useful as some other pilots, though I surely know my way around the tool room! I'll probably end up on the flight deck doing mechanical support when they don't need me in the air."

"The CAG said to have someone show me to the squadron Ready Room after I was settled. I gather we're getting ready for a mission of some sort," Athena informed Sharon. "Do you think you could show me the way when you're ready to go? I'm hopelessly lost right now."

"Sure. If we go now you'll get a chance to meet the rest of the pilots before the briefing," she added, amiably jumping up from her chair and heading for the hatch. "Who have you met already?"

Athena followed the other woman, pleased to let her chatter on while she answered as few questions as possible. She wanted to make friends and settle in, but she needed to do it slowly and feel her way as carefully as possible. Plus, she wanted to remain under the radar while she took a true measure of what Captain Lee Adama was really like.

xxxxx

Lee's emotions were in turmoil as he walked to the CIC. His mind was stunned by his unexpectedly emotional reunion with his father. That hug That hug had touched him so much deeper than he was prepared to admit. He had been silently grieving over the loss of his mother when his father had entered the quarters, and he'd been at a weak moment. But still he was glad now. Until that moment he had thought all love between the two of them was dead. But now, on the strength of that bear-tight hug, he realized that he still loved his father more than ever. And even more important, his father loved him back. Though the man was still as stoic and closed-mouth as ever, Lee was absolutely certain that his dad wanted things between them to improve.

Then on top of that, Starbuck had given him her astonishing confession about Zaks death. It had been quite a bomb she'd dropped on him before she'd headed off on her mission. Of all the frakking times to make a confession about his brother! He wanted to sit and think about it, but he just didn't have the time. One thing he did know was that her confession changed everything when it came to his feelings for his dad. He could no longer solely blame his father for Zaks death. He guessed there was enough blame to spread around to everyone, maybe even himself, come to think of it.

And then there was Athena, his dream lover from last night. Did he want to try and find her? And, for that matter, how would he even go about doing that? Where would he look for her? She could be on any ship in the fleet, and how would he even know her if he found her? Where did she come from and where had she gone? There had been no time to ask President Roslin about her, and even if there had been, he wasn't sure how to broach the subject properly without giving away his reason for asking. His head was full of questions and uncertainty. If he hadn't known better, he'd still think she was just a really fantastic wet dream.

Add to the mix a new pilot just dropping out of the sky, so to speak, and it had been an eventful afternoon. He'd never heard of Lt. AJ Darr before, but then he didn't expect to know every pilot in the military. It was a big universe and they were spread all through it. She was a little bit shorter than he was, slim and curvy in her dress uniform, with straight light brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail and hung more than halfway down her back. She had the light and edgy walk of an athlete, the quiet confidence of an experienced pilot, and eyes that were a soft, chocolate brown. The unattached male officers were going to be hot for her, he thought with a slight frown. For some reason, that idea disturbed him more than a little bit.

But, if she were as good as her supposed background led him to believe, they would be lucky to have her in the squadron. He only hoped she didn't end up being too good to be true. Plus, there was something intriguing about her. Something familiar that nagged at him. He'd have to ask the President about her when he had a chance, he thought as he reached the CIC.

He stood at the command table with Colonel Tigh and nervously waited for Starbucks report. Everything depended upon what she discovered outside the storm. And what his father decided to do about the gathered fleet. Lee felt his hopes for a clean escape from the Ragnar storm spiral down the drain as he listened to Starbucks report about the enormous number of Cylons waiting for them to appear outside the cloud. Frak! There was no doubt the Cylons knew the fleet was hidden away inside the storm, and only had to wait them out.

"Captain," the Commander said, calling Lee over to the command table where he stood in the middle of the CIC. "Lt. Gaeta, stay, please." When the Commander had everyone with him at the table he looked down at the most current chart of the Ragnar storm.

"How the hell did they find us?" Tigh growled as they all gathered around to chart to make some sort of plan.

"Maybe that thing we found on the dradis display was some kind of transponder," Gaeta suggested with a frown.

"Or either Leoben or Doral might have gotten a signal out," Lee offered with an intent look at the others. It was one hell of an unpleasant discovery to find out that Cylons looked as human as the rest of them. Leoben had been the Cylon hiding out at Ragnar and Doral, it turned out, was also a Cylon hiding behind his PR disguise.

"It doesn't really matter," the Commander said darkly. "Theyve got us."

"Why aren't they coming in after us?" Gaeta asked suddenly, glancing at the dradis console to see if anything new was showing. He appeared to be a bright young man, capable of running almost any station in the CIC.

"Why should they?" Tigh answered in his most cynical tone. At least there was no hint of intoxication in his voice, Lee thought, which would account for the mans rotten temper. "They can just sit out there and wait us out. What difference does it make to them? They're machines. We're the ones that need food, medicine, and fuel."

Commander Adama glanced stonily from person to person, his thoughts inscrutable. "I'm not going to play their game. I'm not going to go out there and try to fight them." He took a minute to think about the options at hand. "Can we plot a jump from inside the storm?"

The XOs eyes almost bugged out of his head at the thought. "With all this EMS interference mucking up the FTL fix?"

"I tend to agree, sir," Gaeta responded more calmly. "I don't think we should even attempt a jump until weve cleared the storm threshold."

Lee nodded thoughtfully and looked directly at his father. The storm both served to protect them from the waiting Cylons and at the same time impeded them from getting safely away. There was only one way out, and the Cylons obviously knew it. "If we're going outside the storm, we'll have to be quick about it. They'll launch everything they have, first glimpse they get of us."

"We could stick our nose out just far enough to get a good FTL fix, and then jump," Tigh suggested.

The Commander was staring almost blankly across the CIC, not taking part in the conversation that rolled around him. Despite his blank look, Lee knew his father was deep in thought and would speak up when he was ready, and not a moment before.

"And what about the civilians?" Lee asked pointedly. Maybe it was his time spent working to save lives on Colonial One, but he was concerned about the safety of the forty plus ships they'd brought along with them. They had worked frakking hard getting those people to safety and they were helpless without Galactica.

"Oh, they're probably safe for the time being," the XO stated casually.

Lee looked incredulous, his anger rising at the mans callous tone. He couldn't frakking believe what he'd just heard! "You mean leave them behind?"

"The Cylons might not even know they're here in the first place," Lt. Gaeta said with a careless shrug, clearly thinking only about the Galactica. "They're probably only after us."

"Now thats a hell of an assumption," Lee retorted angrily. How could they so totally disregard the well-being of the scarce remains of humanity? Just because they were civilians didn't mean they had no value. He could feel his face flush as he struggled to control his temper. But in this room he was the outsider, and he had to be careful how he stepped.

"We can't very well cram fifty thousand men, women and children aboard this ship," Tigh growled, his animosity toward Lee showing through more than a bit. There had never been any love lost between the two of them. The XO never failed to take the Commanders side, even in things that were personal, and he clearly thought Lee was disrespectful to the old man. Hell, he was right about that last part.

"I'm not suggesting that, sir," Lee said adamantly, determined to keep his voice calm and controlled. There was too much at stake to fly off the handle and let his temper run wild. He had to be careful, logical and calm. "I'm just saying that we cannot leave them behind. They should jump with us."

"I don't see how we can manage that without jeopardizing the ship," Gaeta replied with a shake of his head. He was more willing to sacrifice the fleet of civilians than the Galactica. No doubt most the crew on the ship would feel that very same way.

Lee shot impatient glances at the two men on either side of him. How could they be so unemotional and casual about the future of the few survivors who were left? Didn't they realize the gravity of what was at stake for the human race? Calm. Stay calm, he told himself, wishing his father would join the discussion. "We pick a jump spot. Far enough outside the combat zone that"

"What the hell is outside the combat zone at this point?" Tigh interjected tightly.

The Commander had continued to stare across the CIC, his gaze locked on the President's assistant, Billy and Dualla, one of the communications officers. "Theyd better start having babies," the Commander said suddenly, apparently not even realizing that his command staff was in a heated discussion about what was to be done.

The XO, Lee and Lt. Gaeta froze and looked up at him in complete surprise, their own conversation forgotten at his strange words. One by one they turned and followed the line of his vision to try and see what it was he was watching. Lee blinked up at his father in shock at the strange words.

"Is that an order?" Tigh asked sarcastically, a sardonic grin slightly curving his lips.

"It may be before too long," the Commander answered wryly. "Okay, we're going to take the civilians with us. We're going to leave this solar system and we're not going to come back."

Lee felt a surge of relief flash through his body. Thank the Gods!

His XO shot his father an accusing look that was filled with disgust. "We're running."

His father drew a deep breath and then turned to directly face his old friend. "This war is over. We lost."

"As far as we know, we're the last surviving battlestar," the XO protested angrily. "If we flee from the system, the people left behind don't stand a chance!"

"They don't stand a chance anyway, Colonel," the Commander informed him, a hint of sadness tingeing his voice. "We can't save them."

Lee had never been prouder of his father. He stood a little straighter and looked directly at the Commander. "My father's right. It's time for us to get out of here."

The Commanders eyes met Lee's briefly, as if he could scarcely believe he'd just heard those words from his sons mouth. _My father's right_. Unfortunately, neither of them had the time to dwell on the implications. A bold, risky decision had just been made, and they had no idea as yet how to make that decision work to their benefit.

Colonel Tigh shook his head in obvious dismay, but it was plain he knew he was overruled and further argument would be for naught. "So where are we going, Commander?"

The Commander reached under the table and pulled out a wide-view star chart, spreading it out over everything else on the table. He studied it for a long moment, then pointed to a cluster of stars thirty or so light-years away. "The Prolmar Sector."

"Thats _way_ past the Red Line," Tigh protested sharply.

Lee watched as the Commander continued to tap the section of the map lightly, his face twisted in thought. They all knew this was an enormous distance that was considered too uncertain, too risky for a single jump. But still, without taking that risk, how else were they to get beyond the reach of the Cylons? No one knew where the Cylons were based, but the Prolmar Sector was at least in the opposite direction from the Armistice Station, so it made sense to Lee that they should head out in that direction.

The Commander turned to Lt. Gaeta, whod stopped talking and simply watched his superiors as they discussed what to do and where to go. He wasn't part of the decision making, but he'd be one of the ones to ultimately make it happen. "Can you plot that jump?"

"I've never plotted a jump that far, sir," the young lieutenant informed him worriedly, his expression grave.

"No one has. Can you plot that jump?"

Gaeta looked down at the Commanders finger on the map and chewed on the inside of his mouth for a long moment. "Yes, sir."

Commander Adama nodded. "Do it by yourself."

Gaeta nodded his understanding of the need for secrecy, took the chart, and headed for the FTL station.

"The margin of error at that distance" Colonel Tigh whispered in a worried tone.

"I know," the Commander acknowledged. "It's a big risk. We could be way off. We could land inside a sun. But at least we won't be here with the Cylons." He turned to the vertical situation board and changed the subject to the one they needed to discuss. "This is a bad tactical position. We'll pull the Galactica out five klicks. Send out the fighters." He traced on the board with his hand. "The civilians will come out behind us, cross the threshold, and make the jumpwhile we hold off the Cylons." He turned back to face Lee. "Once the civilians have made the jump, every fighter is to make an immediate combat landing. We won't have much time."

"I'll tell them," Lee assured him, giving him a slight smile of reassurance. He would also have his part in making sure the plan was successful. And, by the gods, he'd do everything he could to ensure the safety of the fleet.

"I want _all_ my pilots to return," his father stated pointedly, fixing Lee with his gaze. "Understand?"

Lee stood unmoving for a moment, his eyes locked upon his father's face. Every muscle in his father's neck seemed taut as the man he hardly knew stared at him. Lee understood what his father was saying beneath the words. To stay safe. To do his job, but make sure he came out of it alive. "Yes, sir. I do." He nodded slightly, turned away and headed off to the pilots ready room to begin his briefing of the pilots.

xxxxx

Athena sat in the middle of the Ready Room, surrounded by pilots of all levels and experience. Some looked calmer than others, but all of them looked scared and uncertain. The most experienced of the squadron had been wiped out in the first attack, so the remaining pilots had a lot to learn. She also discovered that Lee had been introduced to the squadron only the day before, and had only been made CAG a handful of hours later when the original CAG had died with the rest of his pilots. Lee was an unknown commodity to all of them, except for Starbuck, whod apparently known him since they were in the academy. The word among the pilots was that Lee was aloof, more than a little arrogant and standoffish, and had been estranged from his father for several years.

At the end of the briefing, Lee had informed AJ that she was not to go out on the mission, since neither he nor Starbuck had time to get a feel for her knowledge and flying skills. It burned her up to no end to be left behind, especially when she knew she was probably a lot better pilot than most of the kids who were left in the squadron. But, she had learned that there were some things you just didn't try and buck in the military and one was your superior officers decision, be it right or wrong. Athena listened to the plan and accepted her role on the flight deck, locking down the returning birds in preparation for the FTL jump away from Ragnar and to what they hoped would be safety.

The last of the ordinance obtained from Ragnar Station was loaded and locked down on the Galactica, and the fleet began it's slow but steady move to the rim of the storm system that surrounded the ammunition depot. Galactica would provide cover fire until all of the civilian ships had jumped, and then they would follow to the designated jump destination. The Vipers would do their best to keep the severest of Cylon fire away from Galactica, hopefully staying alive in the process.

After the Vipers had all launched, Athena tagged after Chief Tyrol in an attempt to see what she could do that was useful. She had every intention of being at Lee's ship when he landed, to be sure he was safe and his ship properly locked down. She wasn't sure that she wanted him to discover their tenuous connection, but she was sure she found him both appealing and attractive. He definitely was not a _good ole boy_ leader who made friends everywhere he went; she could tell that after watching his briefing and the reactions of the other pilots to him. It appeared that, while they respected his skills, they found it hard to believe he was the charismatic Commander Adama's son.

It was fifteen of the longest minutes of her life until the civilian fleet had launched. The Vipers were recalled and were making their way back in all states of damage. Finally, only Starbuck and Lee were left outside the Galactica, and Athena was afraid that they would be left behind. She felt scarcely able to draw a breath as she learned that Lee's Viper had taken heavy fire and he had apparently lost all power.

"Shes frakking crazy," Tyrol muttered, taking off in a dead run for the back of the landing bay. Athena ran after him, not sure what was happening, but knowing in her gut it had to do with Lee, as well.

Athena and the Chief were being lowered on the elevator platform when Starbuck and Lee's Vipers came screeching into the bay, their front sections locked together with Starbucks bird powering the landing and Lee's being pushed along backward in front of her. The two ships skidded and spun until they came to a jolting stop next to the rear wall. With no landing gear down, both ships had sustained heavy damage, but both pilots were moving and laughing with what could only be relief.

Athena scarcely felt the FTL drive engage, since at that moment she was prying open the jammed cockpit door to Lee's Viper. He finished unbuckling his seat straps as she pulled off his helmet and collar attachment. He had a trickle of blood trailing down from his forehead, but other than that he appeared to be in good shape. At least he was alive!

"Welcome home, Captain," Athena greeted him, her voice husky with emotion. She pulled him down out of the Viper and supported him slightly as they ran out of the landing bay that was now littered with both intact Vipers and ones that were in a few too many pieces.

When they stepped on the lift to ride up to the flight deck, she dabbed at his bleeding head with her sleeve, trying to see if he needed medical attention. He grabbed her arm with his free hand and pulled her wrist to her nose. He inhaled slowly, as though he were savoring the scent he had discovered. When he released his breath, she shivered at the tickle of warmth against her skin. He released her slowly, almost reluctantly. "You smell good. What is it?"

Athena felt herself blushing slightly as they reached the deck and were mobbed by both pilots and mechanics alike, all cheering wildly. "Jasmine," she answered softly into his ear before he was dragged away and reunited with Starbuck, who had undoubtedly just saved his life.

Athena was unable to breathe as he continued to watch her with unfathomable blue eyes all the way across the crowded deck before he was pulled out of her line of sight. She turned and walked hurriedly away, needing to get away from the noisy deck and her unruly thoughts.

xxxxx

Lee walked with his father toward the commanders quarters. He was bone tired, and knew his father had to be even more so. But, Lee had decided it was time to clear the air with his old man before something else happened. And it was good to talk, even if the talk was entirely about the work ahead of them, the ship, and other non-personal things. As his father opened the hatch to his quarters, Lee completed his verbal report. "Tomorrow I'll begin a formal combat patrol around the fleet."

"Good," his father replied, turning to look straight at his son. "I'll see you in the morning, then."

Lee hesitated, having so much more he wanted to say, but it was so frakking hard. For many long years he'd blamed his father for most of the bad things in his life, and it was a hard pattern to change. "I... listen, it's just... I... it's been so long"

The Commander gazed at Lee, looking his son directly in the eye in a manner theyd not achieved in a very long time. He smiled tiredly and nodded. "Let's save this for another time, son. I think we've pulled off enough miracles today, don't you?"

Lee took a long moment to react, whether from tiredness of his own or from disappointment at not getting to talk he wasn't sure which. Regardless, he suspected his father was right. They had come a long, long way in one very difficult day. Now that they had gotten away from the Cylons, they could rest and talk tomorrow. "Maybe so. Good night, Commander."

"Goodnight, Captain," he father responded softly, a light smile curving his lips.

Lee looked for AJ for the rest of the day, and at the funeral for those who had fallen during the first and following attacks, but she was nowhere to be seen. When he had smelled her wrist he had been taken back to the night before. To the scent of the woman in his bunk. Of course, he realized that many women could wear the same scent and it wasn't at all realistic to think AJ could be the one from Colonial One. Besides, she had given no indication that she knew him or had been the one. As the funeral progressed, other things pulled his mind away from Athena.

Lee listened as the priest talked about mercy and love, and the beginning of a life anew. Maybe his father did have some blame for Zaks death, along with Starbuck, the military process, and perhaps even Lee himself. Zak had tried to emulate Lee ever since they were small children, and yet Lee had never tried to talk Zak out of becoming a pilot. Didn't that make him just as guilty as his father?

It was long past time for Lee to reconcile with his father and, after the turmoil of the past few days, he knew it would be unwise to put off these sorts of things. As a Viper pilot, he could lose his life tomorrow, and his father would never know how much Lee loved him. He would never know just how proud Lee was of his dad, especially after the rousing speech he had just given to the crew and entire fleet. How filled with hope he now was, simply because of Commander William Adamas strength, wisdom and leadership ability.

Zak was gone. His mother was gone. Along with more friends and acquaintances than he could count. But there was no time to dwell on what had been lost. It was time to focus on the future and put his energies in that direction. Perhaps later there would be time to mourn their losses.

End of Chapter Two


	3. Chapter 3

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Chapter Three

Hours Without End

DAY EIGHT

Lee was exhausted. Gods, he was _beyond_ exhausted. He and most of the other pilots were flying in position around the Galactica as the fleet prepared for their 237th jump in the past five days. He was prouder of these pilots than he could ever have imagined-rookies and old-timers alike. They were the glue that was holding the fleet together, giving the civilian ships time to jump before the repeatedly incoming Cylons could destroy them. After the fleet had jumped, the Vipers fled back to the safety of the Galactica so that the battlestar could make the jump, as well.

"All right. You know the drill," Lee encouraged his troops over the wireless ship-to-ship radio, though he was so tired it was all he could do to speak coherently. "Scatter formation and don't stray off the recovery line. Keep fighting until all civilian ships are away."

The Cylons came as predicted, exactly thirty-three minutes after the last time they had attacked. Lee fought without emotion, doing his job to the best of his abilities while expending the least amount of energy possible. When the report came in that all the civilian fleet was away, he took a deep breath of relief.

"The fleet is away. Combat landings," he informed the squadron unnecessarily. After 237 similar battles, they absolutely knew the drill. There was no precision or beauty in the landings, just hit the ground with your Viper and skid to a stop. After the FTL jump was complete, climb out of the bird and let the deck crew do their part of the never-ending, unchanging routine that had become their existence. Lee let his head lay back upon the seat of his Viper, wondering why he even bothered to get out of his bird. They could just sleep in their Vipers until the next take off when the dreaded thirty-three minute interval had passed.

xxxxx

Athena climbed out of her Viper and automatically glanced over at Lee. The past five days had been even worse than the initial Cylon attacks had been. Now there was no let up, no rest, no simple moments of peace to be found. It was fight and return, fight and return in unending cycles that occurred every thirty-three minutes. And there had been no test from either Starbuck or Lee for Athena. At the first attack Starbuck had pushed her toward an empty Viper Mark II and told her that if she screwed up, she died. Well, she hadn't screwed up, Athena thought tiredly. Not yet, anyway. She'd held her own as she refamiliarized herself with the older Viper, and she'd taken out as many Cylon raiders as had crossed her path. She had long since stopped counting the number of kills she had made.

She watched Lee climb stiffly out of his Viper and jump down to the deck floor. He had five days growth of beard and looked as scraggly and unkempt as the rest of the squadron. During the first day of the attacks, she'd noticed that he'd watched her, and a couple times had looked as though he wanted to say something to her. However, with fights at such a quick interval, there had never been a moment. Now he glanced her way with a tired smile when they were in proximity, but made no attempts to seek her out. There was just no time. No energy.

Now that she was sure Lee was okay, Athena headed up the ladder to the flight deck. She strode by Cally, one of the mechanics who was standing and looking expressionlessly at a beat up Viper. The young woman simply stood there with a blank expression, her hand hanging limply by her side.

"Why do the Cylons come every thirty-three minutes? Why not thirty-four or thirty-five?"

"Cally!" Chief Tyrol yelled as he walked by, trying to be everywhere at once as he oversaw the hurried maintenance of the Vipers.

"What?" she snapped back at him, which gave Athena pause. She'd never heard Cally raise her voice, especially at the Chief. Even after only five days, she had innately sensed that Cally had a major crush on Chief Tyrol.

"Shut up!" the Chief ordered sternly, though not unkindly.

Cally just stared at him for a moment and then began preparing the Viper for its next launch.

That little conversation was typical these days, Athena thought as she walked on. Tempers were short from lack of sleep, as well as from the stress of wondering if they were going to be ready for the next attack. People continued to do their jobs as they were trained to do, but the past five days were taking their toll. Mistakes were beginning to happen more and more often as the hours passed.

Athena detoured for a quick stop at a nearby head to relieve her bladder and splash some much needed cold water on her face, and then made her way to the squadron Ready Room. She sat down in the first vacant seat she found and let her gaze wander aimlessly around the room she had quickly come to know so well. Pilots were stretched out in the comfortably wide chairs, laying sprawled out on the floor, or sat with their backs propped up against the walls. The typically rigid military protocol that had been the standard at one time had deteriorated into total nonexistence. They all followed the routine as they had been trained to do, but did it in a manner that expended the least amount of energy possible.

There was just no energy to spare.

Lee walked up to the podium and looked at the exhausted squadron of pilots before him. His unshaven face was gray and haggard, his eyes drooping and surrounded by dark circles. His eyes stopped on her for a long moment, and she looked back at him with a scant smile. His expression softened for the briefest of moments and then he continued to scan the pilots within the room.

"Okay. Combat landings are again expected to be the order of the day. Double-check your undercarriage before you get in your birds, he instructed in a monotone voice. He closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head. "Look, you've all done this 237 times already. You know what to do. No mistakes, and lets make it to 238. Good luck and be careful out there."

The group of pilots walked together in a silent mass to the flight deck where they began checking their birds. Athena ran a hand over the scarred and scratched undercarriage, but found nothing that looked like it would breach the Vipers hull integrity. It wasn't pretty, but the bird would fly. She could fly. But for how much longer, she wasn't sure. She had no doubt she looked as terrible as the rest of the crew, and she knew she felt as bad. But this was what she had been trained to do, and she'd do it until she ceased drawing breath.

xxxxx

Lee led his squadron out of the Galactica and into the darkness of space that surrounded the fleet. The Cylons would be jumping in within minutes, and they were ready. At least they were as ready as pilots could be whod had no sleep for over one hundred and thirty-two hours. Their reflexes were slowing, their response time was dropping, and their judgment making abilities were becoming impaired. It was only a matter of time before the number of pilot deaths began to outnumber the pilots who returned from battle.

Surprisingly enough, or maybe not that surprising after all, Starbuck, AJ and Sharon were still functioning at the top of their game. It appeared that the female pilots were holding up better than the male ones. Starbuck's temper was fraying, but she was still an ace in the air, or rather, out in space. Sharon hardly even looked tired, though her new Raptor ECO, Crashdown, was a mess. And AJ had grown paler and quieter until you would hardly even know she was there in the room, but she was still solid in her Viper. Never a talkative one at best, he had quickly discovered, she now barely spoke at all, and then only when spoken to. And then she only used words when a nod or shake of the head didn't suffice.

Lee felt guilty that he hadn't been able to check her proficiency out thoroughly before having to place her out in the heat of battle, but she'd proven her worth time and again against the Cylons. Her kill record was impressive for a pilot untried in combat, but he now had no doubt she was far more skilled than she had admitted to being. Why she had been wasted on a Presidential Transport detail was beyond his comprehension. If her War College graduation hadn't been delayed he had no doubt she'd have been poised for captaincy within a year or two at the most. As it was-

"Ten seconds left on the clock," the disembodied voice of D came over the airwaves, pulling him from his errant line of thought. His mind had not been on the game at hand, he chided himself harshly. That would only serve to get him and other pilots killed.

"Get ready, people," he warned, moving his thumb onto the firing button. The ten seconds came and went, and no Cylons appeared. Lee held his breath as he waited ten more endlessly long seconds. "Don't relax, people. They could still be coming," he warned, feeling a spark of hope despite his words of warning to the other pilots.

Finally, after several minutes of flying perimeter around the fleet on pins and needles, the word came from the CIC to set up a combat patrol around the fleet, allowing the rest of the pilots to return to the battlestar. "All right people, you heard the order. Boomer, Starbuck-form up with me. We'll fly the first CAP. I want everyone else back on Galactica and in his or her rack. Three-hour rotation."

Lee watched the Vipers peel away and head back to Galactica, and he felt a smile begin to crease his face. Finally, he thought in relief, they had caught a break.

"Hey, Apollo," Starbucks voice came over the radio. "Not that I'm not honored by being chosen to sit in my cockpit for the next three hours, but umm-"

"But why you?" he finished her sentence for her, grinning at her playful tone of voice. It was as if the tension had been completely lifted when the 33 minutes had passed by with no new Cylon attack.

"Uh huh."

"Take a guess," he hedged, enjoying the fact that they were friends again. It was as if their friendship had begun where it had left off before she'd met and fallen in love with Zak. She was still a pain in the ass, but at least he could count on her in the cockpit.

"Because I'm on drugs?"

"You got it," he replied, knowing she'd get the answer in the first try. They had had a massive argument about her taking stimulants, though he had prevailed in the end. For a moment there he'd thought she was going to take a swing at him. "This patrol is 100% stimulated!" he laughed, feeling his own brand of artificial energy. It wasn't the best situation for pilots, but with zero sleep in five days it was the only way to stay in the air.

"Anyone else feel like they have frakking ants crawling behind their eyeballs?" Crashdown asked with an edgy tone in his voice. Crash was an unknown to Lee, but he'd proven his worth as an ECO, even if he was a bit on the arrogant side.

"Hey, how about you, Boomer?" Lee asked, knowing that Crashdowns question had been rhetorical. "Doc tells me you're holding up better than anybody in the squadron."

"I'm tired like everybody else," she admitted, though her voice sounded cheerful and almost rested.

"You never see it," Lee complimented, realizing that she did look a hell of a lot better than most of the other pilots.

Starbuck snorted. "Thats cause shes a Cylon. One of those new and improved versions."

"You're just going to make me come over there and kick your ass aren't you?" Sharon threatened good-naturedly. She was proving to be easy to get along with and a solid Raptor pilot.

"Okay, okay," Lee interrupted with a chuckle, realizing it was time to get the crew back on track. "Let's set up a patrol here before somebody gets hurt. Follow me."

"Copy that, Apollo," Starbuck agreed, letting out a big rebel yell.

They had no sooner begun their patrol when the Olympic Carrier, who had apparently missed the previous jump, reappeared. Lee listened to the pilot explain that theyd had a FTL malfunction and had been left behind but for some reason the Cylons had broken off and left them alone. As he listened, Lee felt the hair on the back of his neck begin to prickle. Every instinct in his body told him something wasn't right here, and he hoped his father was listening and picked up on the same thing.

Lee let out a big breath of relief when the Galactica ordered them to keep the Olympic Carrier separate from the fleet, grateful that the Galactica was choosing to be cautious. But matters began to spiral downward quickly when the Olympic Carrier broke radio contact and refused to respond to any of Boomers hails. The ship continued steadily on its course directly toward the Galactica as if oblivious to their commands. Lee knew in his gut that something was going to need to be done quickly, so he maneuvered his Viper so that he flew front to back along one side of the carrier and did a visual scan. There were lights on inside the cabin area but he could not see a single person inside the ship. That was pretty frakking unusual. In most situations you could see faces looking out the side windows located by passenger seats.

He breathed a heavy sigh of relief when the order was given for the fleet to return to Station One alert and to begin the calculations for their next jump to location 240. At the same time, a Cylon attack force jumped into the area, just over two minutes away from the fleet. Adding to the ensuing sense of doom, Boomer reported, a hint of panic filling her voice, that there was a radiological alarm from the position of the Olympic Carrier, which Lee knew meant there were nuclear weapons on board. Armed nuclear weapons. Something was definitely not right on the Olympic Carrier.

Within less than a minute Lee received the command from the Galactica via Boomer to destroy the Olympic Carrier. His heart dropped at the orders, though they were not completely unexpected. He would have ordered the same thing were he in hisfather's shoes. Sacrifice the one to save the many. With armed nukes on board the passenger ship there was no way they could take a chance. Odds were that the Cylons were using the civilian ship in an attempt to destroy the Galactica, and the passengers were already dead anyway. At least he prayed they were already dead.

"We have new orders," Lee crisply informed Starbuck over the radio. She was going to pitch a fit. He just knew it. "We're directed to destroy the Olympic Carrier and return to Galactica."

"Its a civilian ship!" Starbuck protested as expected, disbelief filling her voice.

"Yeah," he agreed, knowing that it didn't make one frakking bit of difference in the end. The Olympic Carrier was a threat, regardless of its military or civilian status. "A civilian ship with nukes. End of story." He saw the flashes from space that indicated the fleet was commencing its jump to safety and felt a surge of relief. At least the rest of the civilian fleet would soon be safely away from the most recent Cylon threat.

"I didn't see anyone in there, did you?" Crashdown asked in a worried voice as his and Sharons Raptor finished another revolution around the Olympic Carrier and took position at the rear of the civilian vessel.

"The Cylons will be here any second," Lee reported tensely, knowing it was up to him to make their orders happen. Orders were orders and, as horrifying as they were, these he believed were the only logical course of action. "If we're going to do this, let's just do it. Starbuck, form up with me. We'll make one pass from astern."

"Lee, what if you're wrong?" Starbuck protested, her voice strained.

Lee ignored her words and moved his Viper into position. As horrible as it was to comprehend, it was the only thing he could do to ensure the safety of the rest of the fleet. Out of his peripheral vision he saw Starbuck do the same.

"Lee, come on! Lee!"

"Okay. Fire on my mark," he said woodenly, placing his thumb once more on the firing button. For good or ill, these were not only his orders, but also what he knew in his heart and mind had to be done. There were too many lives at stake to take chances. His heart raced as he struggled with what he had to do next.

"No frakking way, Lee! Lee? Come on!" Starbuck begged frantically.

"Mark," he said firmly and pressed the firing button. Just a second behind him, Starbuck began to fire as well, just like he'd known she would. When push came to shove, Starbuck would always do her duty no matter how distasteful. The Olympic Carrier began to come apart from the stern as small explosions began to chain react toward the front of the ship. In an instant, the entire ship exploded and Lee closed his eyes. "Lords of Kobol, hear my prayer. Please gather the souls of your lost sons and daughters from this ship. May they find peace in your presence."

"Lets go home," Lee ordered softly, navigating around the debris and heading for the landing bay. No matter how numb and miserable he felt, the Cylons were still coming and the Galactica still needed to jump after the rest of the fleet.

xxxxx

Athena listened from where she leaned against a wall of the flight deck, and dipped her head in sorrow at what Lee and Starbuck had just had to do. The Chief had a speaker connected to the frequency of the vipers to make sure he always knew what was going on with his ships, so she had remained when the rest of the pilots had headed for their bunks. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep until Lee and Starbuck were back safely on board the Galactica.

"Lords of Kobol, hear my prayer," she whispered, bowing her head and holding cold hands up to her face. "Help Lee to know that he did what he had to do to save us all. Give him peace that the decision made was the right one. Lords of Kobol, hear my prayer."

The sound of someone clearing their throat brought her head up and Athena opened her eyes to see the Chief standing less than two feet in front of her. "They're aboard and we're jumping. Go get some rack time, sir. I'll send Captain Adama on his way," he added in a kindly tone.

"Chief"

"Don't sweat it, Lieutenant. All secrets remain safe with me," he told her with a gentle smile. Then he shook his head sadly. "We can't help who we love, can we?"

"I guess not," she agreed tiredly, wondering who it was that the Chief loved. She had quickly discovered that he was a man to be admired and respected, and any woman would be lucky to call him her own. "It sure can be damned inconvenient, though," she added with a smile of her own.

He laughed, nodded his head in agreement and walked away.

Athena wasn't sure she was in _love_ with Lee, but she definitely respected him and despite her best efforts, found her mind going back time and again to the intimate night theyd shared on Colonial One. When she saw his reserved and prickly demeanor with the pilots or the deck crew, she found herself amazed at his tenderness and generosity when they had made love. He may not know the first thing about getting people to like him, but he was the best lover an inexperienced woman could have asked for. Perhaps his guard had been down because of the trauma of the day they'd experienced. But whatever the reason, Athena knewshe'd seen a softer side of the stiff and formal Captain that no one else on the Galactica had ever seen.

Athena headed for her quarters, but found herself standing mutely in the now crowded companionway that held the pictures of the crews lost family and friends. There were three sections already, and the monument to the lost continued to grow. There were pictures of parents, brothers and sisters, husbands, wives and children all lost to the Cylons. Though she had no confirmation, Athena knew that her mother, stepfather and sisters were all dead, along with her father. In her heart of hearts she knew that she was alone now, with only the people on this ship to call family.

"Any of these yours?" a voice asked softly, and Athena jumped in alarm at finding Lee standing right behind her.

"No. I know my family's dead. There's no question in my mind. My mom and sisters lived just outside Caprica City and my dad lived smack dab in the center of it," Athena told him sadly. She looked up at him and took in the weariness of his face. "How about you?"

"No," he replied with a shake of his head as he stepped up beside her. "My mother also lived in Caprica City, my brother has been dead these past two years, and my dad is on this ship. I guess theres no question in my mind about my mom, either. It would be nothing short of a miracle if she survived, and I'm not holding out for any miracles right now. So why are you here, in the middle of this?" he asked her with a wave at the shrine around them.

"I was on my way to get some sleep before my next shift and the sheer size of it all, and number of photos just stopped me in my tracks," she admitted as she looked around them. "I had to say a prayer for the crew that are still holding out hope for their families. And I said a prayer for you, Captain." She looked over at him and caught a glimpse of confusion pass through his expression before he carefully blanked his face.

"Why me, in particular?" he asked softly, the intensity of his blue eyes boring into hers as he spoke.

"Because a few minutes ago you had to make a hard decision. Because its a decision a lot of people won't understand. And because I know that _living_ with a decision like that can be a lot harder than it was to make it in the first place," Athena told him honestly, knowing that when he had time to go back and think about what happened, he would suffer. He would think and rethink, and try to second-guess himself. She'd been there herself, so she knew.

"I just followed orders," he stated in a low tone as he moved a few inches closer to her, until their faces were close enough that she could see the quiet desperation in his exhausted eyes.

"As hard as it was to do... you're the one who had to pull the trigger, Lee," she whispered, feeling her heart begin to race at his nearness. Since their amazing night together, this was the closest and most personal they'd been. "I understand you better than you may think. Perhaps even better than youd like. But there it is."

"AJ" he began and then stopped with a frown creasing his forehead. "AJ just doesn't suit you for some reason. Anyway, you credit me with more sensitivity than I have."

"No. I credit you with having more sensitivity than you let others see, and I think maybe more than even you realize," she disagreed, reaching out to lay her hand on the side of his face. It was a bold and presumptuous move, and she wasn't sure why she did it, but his reaction made her glad she'd taken the risk.

Lee pressed his cheek into her hand and closed his eyes for a moment, his breathing rough and unsteady as his hand moved up to cover hers. Then he turned his face slightly and kissed the inside of her palm. He inhaled deeply from her skin and stepped yet closer, until his lips were pressed up to her ear. "I need to ask you a question," he whispered with warm breath tickling the side of her face.

"No, sir," Athena said, struggling to hide her alarm as she pulled away from him and took a step backward. She was exhausted and wasn't anywhere near ready for what his eyes said was about to happen. She just couldn't go there that night.

He maintained his grip on her hand and his eyes locked with hers, his expression filled with surprise. "No?"

"No. I'm too tired for any Q and A right now," she admitted, amazed at how her voice quivered with fear when she spoke. He was going to ask her if she was Athena and she wasn't ready for the repercussions of that particular revelation. "Another time, Lee. Its too soon for me to bare any part of my soul to you or anyone else."

"You call me Lee, when everyone else calls me Captain or Apollo," he noted thoughtfully. "Why is that?"

"You're just Lee in my mind, I guess," she admitted with a smile. She hadn't even realized thatshe'd addressed him so personally when they were alone. "I don't like using call signs out of the cockpit and sometimes calling someone by their rank just seems too damned impersonal. I'm careful to be professional when we're with others."

"We've always been with others haven't we?" he asked her in an obvious leading manner.

"Another time, Captain Adama. Please," she added, her voice breaking slightly. She did not want him to ask her directly ifshe'd been the woman he'd slept with, and she was almost certain that was where he was headed. She didn't want to lie to him, but she was equally sure she wasn't ready for him to see her in that role.

"Another time, Lieutenant Darr," he accepted grudgingly, letting go of her hand and stepping back. "May I walk with you to our quarters? I think we could both use some sleep."

"Our quarters?"

"Officers quarters. I'm a Captain and you're a Lieutenant, which makes both of us officers," he explained patiently as he signaled for her to lead the way.

Athena walked side by side with Lee to the hatch that opened into the officers quarters. He waved for her to proceed him, and then followed her inside much too closely for her current state of mind. Without further words she stripped off her flight suit and crawled into the bunk she was only now using for the first time. To her surprise Lee looked at her with upraised eyebrows before he jumped up onto the bunk directly above hers.

"Goodnight, Lieutenant," his voice called down softly from above.

"Goodnight, Captain," she responded before she turned over and shut down her mind. She was just too damn tired to deal with another thing that night.

xxxxx

DAY NINE

Lee woke up from the deepest of sleeps to the sound of the alarm on his watch and groaned heavily. Three hours was just not enough sleep when youd been up for over five days. But, there was work to be done. He was the CAG and there were schedules to post and reports to be written. After that he needed to get to the CIC and find out what the next step was to be for Galactica. His pilots needed some down time, but they also needed to debrief and see what lessons were learned from the past five days. When all this had been accomplished, he would sleep for a nice, uninterrupted stretch.

He carefully climbed down from his bunk, making an effort to do nothing that would wake AJ, whom he was beginning to suspect might actually be Athena from Colonial One. He knew that more than one woman wore the Jasmine scent, andshe'd only had it on that one time, but after their brief talk in the lost family shrine, as he called it to himself, he sincerely believed she was the woman he'd made love with in the dark. She was a bit more outspoken with him than a new pilot normally would be, and he thought it could be because she had a bit more inside, personal knowledge of him than most. In fact, if she did turn out to be his Athena, she'd end up being the first pilot with whom he'd ever had sex, he thought to himself with a smile.

Lee looked at her as she slept and wondered where she had come from. He had no way of checking her story for truth, though he was inclined to believe the important sections of the historyshe'd given to himself and Starbuck. She was just too good a Viper pilot not to have graduated with honors from both the Academy and Flight School. He hadn't talked tactics enough with her yet to know about the claim to having attended OCS and War College. However, he did think she was omitting some things that were important to knowing who and what she was. He could sense it when they talked. Perhaps now he'd have the time to ask President Roslin about her.

There was only thing that bothered him about the possibility she might be the woman he'd slept with. He had obviously been her first lover. If it was her what was she thinking? Would she have expectations of him? He knew that the state of his own emotions were tenuous, at best. He was dealing with the stress of suddenly finding himself in close proximity to his father for the first time in long years, had become CAG to a squadron of pilots who didn't know him and, he suspected, thought he was an ass, and the day-to-day Cylon threat. All of these things made him an unlikely candidate for a man who should be entering into a new relationship. However, he couldn't deny he found Lt. AJ Darr wildly attractive and appealing on too many levels to count.

"When did you become a Peeping Tom?" a voice asked quietly from a few racks over. Starbuck looked over at him from where she lay in her top bunk. She was smirking at him while at the same time looking at him in askance.

"Never. I was just thinking," he equivocated before turning away from AJ and heading to his locker.

"Oh yeah," Starbuck drawled lazily, "and that's just a flashlight in your shorts, I guess."

Lee closed his eyes in embarrassment, having hardly been aware of his erection, and took a few deep breaths as he pulled out a clean uniform. "Shut up, Starbuck. And mind your own business."

"Yes sir, Captain Adama, sir," she agreed, rolling over and turning her back to the world. "And you can count on my discretion, as always, sir."

Lee dressed quickly and fled to the CAGs office, where he knew he could have some peace and quiet. He pushed AJ/Athena out of his head and went about his duties. There was a lot to be done, and no one knew how much down time the crew would have before their next Cylon encounter.

Lee was posting the pilot CAP schedule in the ready room when his father entered through the main hatch.

"Sir," he greeted his father and continued to write names and duty times on the white board.

"Son," the old man said with a nod as he stopped to stand beside Lee. He looked at the schedule briefly and then back at Lee. It was clear there was something on his mind. "I gave the order. It was my responsibility." Intense, dark eyes seemed to almost penetrate his being as his father stood motionless close beside him.

Lee sighed, nodded his acceptance of hisfather's words, and then turned to face the man he was only just now beginning to really get to know. It surprised Lee that the Commander seemed to unerringly know what he had been thinking. It was also more than a little surprising to have his father say the only words that could absolve Lee of having potentially killed over thirteen hundred souls. He locked eyes with his father. "I pulled the trigger. Thats mine."

His father nodded his own understanding and carefully reached out to hold Lees arm just above the elbow. He squeezed lightly, smiled a pain-filled smile, then turned and walked away.

It astonished Lee to discover that he was more like his old man then he had ever thought. Zak may have looked like William Adama, but Lee had inherited the mans brain and spirit. His father had come to Lee with nothing more than the intention of ensuring that his son was all right with the events that had occurred. Funny, Lee thought to himself as he continued on his work, but it seemed that guilt shared was much easier to bear within ones own soul.

End of Chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Chapter Four

Discoveries

DAY TWELVE

Athena had a full six hours before her watch alarm woke her from a dreamless sleep. That gave her an hour to rush through a shower in the officers head and toss down some not quite appetizing food before climbing into her Viper for her CAP. Then it was ten hours in the air, patrolling the perimeter of the fleet, mostly alone with her thoughts. Three days had passed since the last Cylon attack, and she was beginning to grow accustomed to the new routine. She was glad to have _any_ routine that did not include Cylon attacks every thirty-three minutes!

"Hey AJ," Starbucks voice came over the short-wave radio. "Switch to channel 427. I need a little chatter to keep me alert."

"No problem," she agreed, switching her ship-to-ship radio to the frequency Starbuck had given her. "Whats up Starbuck? I haven't known you that long, but mindless chatter doesn't seem like your style." Shed had a few quiet talks with Kara Thrace since theyd met her first day on Galactica, but there had been no real time to get to know the other woman.

"Well, mindless chatter wasn't what I had in mind. I wanted a little privacy to ask you what your intentions are toward our illustrious Captain Apollo?"

"What?" Athena gasped, startled not only by Starbucks topic, but also by her lack of subtlety in bringing it up in the first place. "I, uh. . . I'm not sure what you're asking." This was NOT the kind of conversation she wanted to have with anyone, much less Lee's oldest friend, Starbuck! She wasn't ready to face the growing feelings she might be discovering for Lee Adama, and certainly didn't want to talk about it to a virtual stranger.

"The reason I ask is that I caught Lee standing in front of your rack a few mornings ago looking at you like you were the last piece of chocolate to be found in the entire universe. Add to that a hard-on that would make any man proud and you should be able to understand my concern. He has a lot on his plate right now."

"Gods, Starbuck! I don't know what to say. I was asleep and didn't even know he was there," Athena stammered, her heart racing as she tried to gather her thoughts and figure out what, if anything, to tell Starbuck. Rumor had it that she and Lee had been friends since the academy, and that there were times when people had thought he wanted more than just friendship from her. She would take the time later to think about Starbucks revelation, but now she had to deal with the inquisitive pilot.

"Don't play innocent with me, AJ. I can help you, or I can make things frakking difficult for you."

Athena took a deep breath. She most certainly didn't want Starbuck as an enemy, but she was unused to talking about important or intimate things with her peers. Especially with someoneshe'd only known for just under a week! Besides, she hadn't even worked out her own feelings yet. She didn't know what she felt or even what she wanted from Lee, if anything. "I. . . we've talked a few times. I. . . I will admit that I was attracted to him when we crossed paths on Colonial One, even before I knew who he was. I really don't know what to tell you, Starbuck. I'm not even sure what I feel, much less what he does," she confided hesitantly. Gods, she prayed, please don't let this conversation come back to haunt her later. "Are you and Lee. . . "

"Gods, no!" Starbuck laughed loudly. "Lee and I roomed together in the Academy and then again in Flight School. Hes like a brother. A really annoying brother, at that. Besides, I was engaged to marry his brother, Zak, before he died."

"I see," Athena responded, feeling quite a bit of relief at Starbucks information. She hadn't known many of the details, but she had known there was a lot of history between the two of them.

"I've seen Lee watching you several times when he knew you couldn't see him, and my curiosity was piqued because of his interest. Don't get me wrong, Lee likes women as much as the next man, but I have never seen him keep an eye on anyone, much less another pilot, the way he does you. When I caught him watching you the other morning, I must admit I was a bit worried. Things are tough for Lee right now," Starbuck added in a concerned tone.

"Tough how?" Athena asked with concern of her own. She wasn't sure she wanted to pursue a relationship with the man, but if there was something in particular going wrong inLee's life, she wanted to know about it. She could not deny she cared about him, even though she wasn't ready to admit to it out loud. If nothing else, she could be a friend when he needed one.

"He and his old man have been estranged since Zaks death. Actually, they've been at odds since I first met Lee. I know for fact that the last place he wanted to end up was on Galactica with the old man. Then there is the obvious in losing his mother to the Cylons on Caprica, but I think the Olympic Carrier ordeal has been the worst."

"That was bad, but necessary the way I see it," Athena replied, quickly mulling over the thingsshe'd just heard. The family dynamics of the Adama family were new to her, but she was fully aware ofLee's turmoil over destroying the civilian ship. "I have a feeling we'd all be history if the Olympic Carrier had gotten her nukes much close to the Galactica. I have no doubt we're all still alive because you and Lee followed very difficult orders."

"Tell me one more thing and Ill shut up. Why don't you ever call him Apollo. Everyone calls him Captain Adama or Apollo."

Athena smiled to herself, having been asked this same question by the man himself. "When we first met he was in a hurry and introduced himself to me as Lee. Just Lee. Now I guess thats how I think of him. I call him Captain or Captain Adama when we're around other people, but in my mind hes still just Lee."

"Okay, I feel better now. The last thing our illustrious Captain needs is to have more burdens and pressure heaped on his already full plate. All I ask is that whatever you decide to do, be discreet. I'll keep quiet and try to squash any rumors that might start."

"Thanks, Starbuck. But honestly, there is nothing between Lee and I beyond the start of a friendship. I can't say what he thinks or feels, but I certainly don't know him well enough to be moving in any other direction."

"Sure, AJ. Whatever you say. Switching back to channel 162."

Athena finished her shift trying to process all the thingsshe'd just learned from Starbuck. It seemed that Lee was a complicated man, with a lot of history that he had yet to deal with. She understood that better than anyone could possibly know. The facts surrounding her illegitimate birth were something she had long ago accepted, but the fact that she was with daughter of the previous president of the Twelve Colonies was one she kept pushing aside to be dealt with later. Much later. The fact that she had to be his secret had always been a confidence killer for her. If he hadn't been ashamed of her, wouldn't he have been more open about their relationship? And now she had to deal with the fact that there would be no later in which to come to terms with her biological father.

So, like Lee, she understood how hard it was to be the child of a powerful and influential man. Lee now had to openly deal with all the things that kept her in fear of having her own parental relationship discovered. Would people like her or hate her simply because of who her father had been? Or would they expect more than she could deliver, or expect her to abuse her position? There were just too many questions. Too many cans of worms that could be opened by disclosing the facts of her birth. That, above all, was why she had agreed to keep their relationship under wraps and spend the last year with her father as his personal pilot. She could be with him and get to know him, but do it in a manner that didn't overly complicate either of their lives. And now, looking back, Athena was so glad she had taken the time out of her life to get to know her father and have him come to know her. Just knowing him had enriched her life, and the sorrow she felt at having that time cut short was almost overwhelming when she stopped to think about it.

Athena was level-headed enough to know that all her past decisions could become very complicated if she were to make the decision to pursue a relationship with a man of Lee's position. Would she be able to keep such vital facts and a significant amount of her feelings from him? And how would he feel about her if he discovered she had been hiding so much about her past life? It was so damn hard to know what to do. Her night with Lee had been completely on impulse, born of an uncertainty whether she would live to see another day. She had given herself to a stranger, only to later discover he was someone she could admire and respect. Someone she had come to realize she could possibly love. She just didn't know if letting herself love him was a good move for her at this particular place and time.

xxxxx

Lee knocked and then entered his fathers quarters without waiting for a response. He couldn't get the Olympic Carrier out of his mind, and he kept going over and over what he had done. . . wondering if it had been the right thing. Had there been souls still on board, or had they already been dead at Cylon hands? Had he been the instrument that saved tens of thousands of lives, or had he been the one who murdered thirteen hundred innocents?

His father looked up from his desk and set down the pen he had been writing with. "What is it, son?"

"I, ah. . . can't stop thinking about the Olympic Carrier," Lee admitted, feeling a surge of pleasure at his fathers form of addressing him. He hadn't felt like the Bill Adamas son in a lot of years, he thought as he scanned a bookshelf with his eyes but not truly seeing what lay upon the shelves.

"That was three days ago. Thats ancient history under these circumstances. Leave the second guessing to the historians," his father advised sagely with a weary shake of his graying head.

"But don't we have a responsibility? I mean as. . . as leaders don't we have an obligation to question our actions, to. . . I dont know. . . To make sure the decisions we make are the right ones?" he asked, finding it hard to get the words out. His mind was so confused by his conflicting thoughts that he hardly knew what he was trying to say.

"We did what we had to do, son. A man takes responsibility for his actions, right or wrong. He accepts the consequences and lives with it. Every day," Adama stated baldly, his particular choice of words telling Lee that his father was also unsure as to whether the decision had been right or wrong. However, his fathers words also told him that you made your decisions for good or ill, learned from them, and then moved on.

It was time for Lee to learn to live with whathe'd done. He couldn't go back and change it, and he wasn't even surehe'd do anything differently if he could relive those particular hours. He knew for a fact that he had not seen a single person on the Olympic Carrier, when in almost all instances, people could usually be found looking out windows. Lee had followed his orders because he had believed they were the right ones. For the sake of his sanity, he needed to keep on thinking it was the right thing and be done with it.

He nodded his thanks to his father and left as quickly as he had entered.

DAY THIRTEEN

President Roslin came over from Colonial One for a demonstration on how the Galactica could share their water supply with the ships that didn't have sufficient storage capacity. Lee observed that she mad a special point to thank the crew in the CIC for all they had done since the Cylon attack, and then listened intently as Commander Adama walked her through the docking procedure. After a few minutes, someone called the Commander away and she turned and smiled openly at Lee.

"He thinks I'm an idiot, doesn't he?" she asked Lee in an amused tone.

"What? Ah. . . no, ma'am. No," Lee stammered, startled by her blunt words. She had caught him off guard with her candid question.

"Its all right."

Lee cleared his throat and then smiled at her, feeling a bit entertained at her uncertainty after having just days ago seen her poise and control under situations of extreme pressure. It was odd to think that a mere ceremony could be her undoing. "Madame President, if I may. I think you should know that my father. . . well, that this entire ceremony was his idea."

"I know," she admitted with a private smile and then glanced over to where his father stood directing a portion of the water transfer. The old man was clad in his dress grays and stood stiffly, as if his uniform scratched him whenever he moved. "I think he's enjoying it."

Lee caught himself before he could snicker out loud in total disbelief. "Well, actually he. . . he hates protocol, pomp and all that."

She looked at him in amazement, her eyebrows lifted to show her skepticism. "Really?"

"He's making a gesture," Lee explained gently. They had been through so much together that he tended to forget she didn't know his father beyond what she head heard repeated of his reputation. "Trying to make you feel like the President."

"Really?" she repeated, looking over at the Commander once more.

"Madam President, if I may. . . " Lee said quietly, deciding the time would get no better for him to ask about AJ. "I understand you know Lt. AJ Darr?"

"AJ. Yes. I know her quite well," she admitted with a questioning look. "She was one of our escorts from Caprica on the day the Cylons attacked."

"Yes, that's what she told me. She also said that you could vouch for her and had some knowledge of her training," Lee stated, watching the Presidents expression. She was looking at him intently, as thought trying to determine what she should say to him. "Will you tell me what you know about her?"

"Of course. I knew her father quite well. From what I understand from him, she excelled at basic training and basic flight, was exceptional and graduated first in her class from combat, was top of her class in Officers Candidate School, and was well on her way to making a name for herself at the War College," she informed him succinctly. "I also can and will vouch for her integrity, honor, and dependability. Please trust me when I say that she comes from good stock on both sides."

"Thats high praise, indeed," Lee replied, wondering what the President knew that she wasn't saying. Apparently, she knew AJ quite well. Probably better than his own father knew him. The tone in the Presidents voice had been proud and affectionate at the same time.

But before President Roslin could respond or add any more details, a set of enormous explosions rocked the battlestar.

xxxxx

The rumble of a large explosion vibrated the ship as Athena finished the final rinse of her hair, causing her to lean against one of the walls to keep on her feet. It had been too long sinceshe'd had the time for more than a mad dash through the shower, and she had been enjoying the moment. Not sure what had happened, but knowing it couldn't be good, she toweled off as quickly as possible and pulled on her tanks and underwear before rushing out to her locker to get dressed. She pulled on a clean uniform she had gotten from the laundry the previous evening and headed for the Squadron Ready Room.

She met up with several of the other pilots in the companionway leading into the Ready Room, and entered to find only confusion and no one with answers. Everyone found a seat and waited for someone to show up and tell them what was happening. Athena knew that if they needed to launch, an alert would be sounded over the speakers, and they were better off waiting for news together. The Ready Room was located only a short distance from the flight deck, so the pilots could move quickly to their Vipers, if need be.

"Well, we sure as hell weren't bombed by the Cylons," Starbuck said loudly, in an attempt to keep the wild ideas from spreading. "We'd all be out in our Vipers right now if we were under attack."

"Was it one of the reactors? An accident?" someone asked from the back of the room.

"How the frak would I know?" Starbuck responded in exasperation. "I was with you in the Rec Room playing cards, you idiot! We just need to wait-CAG on deck!" she shouted, giving the pilots the warning to sit up and shut up.

Lee walked up to the front of the room and stepped up onto the platform, laying a stack of papers on top of the podium. "All right, people. Listen up. There have been several unexplained explosions in the port water storage tanks, and we've vented over half our supply out into space. We will be on strict water rationing, with all showers and laundries shut down for the duration."

"What caused the explosion?" someone asked from the front row.

"As I said, the explosions are as yet _unexplained_, but the Chief and his crew are checking things out as we speak. Viper patrols will remain as set until we know more," he added, has glance moving all around the room until he had caught the eyes of each pilot. "Boomer, AJ, Ice, and Flattop, you will each be taking out a Raptor to nearby solar systems to search for a water source. The sooner we replace what we lost, the better. Stay after and see me for the coordinates you'll be searching."

"Sir, was it sabotage?" another voice asked. "I've heard that the Cylons are in human form now, and they look just like us."

"I repeat. The Chief and his crew are examining the tanks as we speak. At this time we know nothing more than I have already told you. Any questions pertinent to your duties and schedule?" he asked curtly, his eyes cold and unyielding. "Then you are dismissed!"

Athena remained behind with the other three pilots and approached Lee at a nearby table where he had moved and was laying out a star chart and four sets of maps. He looked up at her and smiled briefly, his eyes losing some of their hardness as he took in her wet hair.

"I was in the shower when the explosion occurred, sir," she explained with a shrug.

"Just curious," he said with another smile. "Sorry to pull you off Vipers, but right now we have a greater need for capable Raptor pilots. There are six solar systems within easy reach of our current position. Four of them are close by and two of you will split those. The other two of you will have farther to go and the solar systems are larger, so you'll only have one system to search. You will each begin a thorough scan of the planets and moons for signs of a water source. Its been five days since the last Cylon attack, but I want all of you to be extra careful out there. If you see Cylons, inform Galactica and then run like hell and hide until help can arrive. Don't take any risks. Right now finding water is a hell of a lot more important than engaging and killing Cylons. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," all four pilots responded as one.

"Here are your maps and coordinates," he said as he handed out papers to each of them. "Dismissed. Wait AJ," he added before she could leave with the others. "I need a moment."

Athena waited, standing before him as his eyes followed the other pilots until they had left the room. "Did you need something, Lee?"

"Yes. There is something I need to know before you go," he stated softly, a slight frown creasing his forehead.

Athena looked at the floor, having no doubt in her mind what he was going to ask her. She had avoided him since the night they had met in the memorial to the lost. He suspected she was the onehe'd been with on Colonial One and he wanted her to confirm or deny it. She lifted her head and looked up at him boldly. He could ask, but she didn't have to admit to anything until she was ready. "Ask."

"Have we. . . met before?" he asked huskily, his eyes piercing into hers. "I need to know." He reached out and took her hand in his, pulling it to his face and inhaling lightly. She was glad that she had decided to economize on her last bottle of scent and had not worn it sinceshe'd arrived on Galactica.

"I'm not sure, sir. We could have crossed paths on Caprica at some time, or at some base," she whispered, sucking in her breath as he continued to hold onto her wrist. She didn't want to lie; truly she didnt, but the time was far from right for this conversation. She wanted a chance to get to know him better on a less physical basis before he discovered exactly who she was. She gently pulled her arm away and stepped back from him, regretting her need to wait.

"I'm sorry, AJ. I was out of line," he apologized, his face growing stiff with embarrassment. "I just had this feeling that wed met before and. . . "

"Its all right, Captain," she replied with a sad smile. "I wish we had met during better times."

He nodded and handed her the charts and system coordinates in dismissal. She gave him one quick look and then fled the room. How she wished she could have told him she was the one! But she truly wasn't sure if he wanted her to be that woman, or if he was afraid she was. And, while he seemed driven to know, she wasn't sure he was prepared to deal with what he ultimately discovered. And above all, she didn't want to open herself up to the potential pain having him think ill of her would cause.

Well, she couldn't think about it any longer. She had a mission to fly.

xxxxx

DAY FOURTEEN

"Thank you for coming, Captain Apollo," the President greeted Lee as he walked into her office. "I am aware that you were in charge of the mission that destroyed the Olympic Carrier. I know what a hard thing that is to live with. For all of us. I'm struggling with it myself, frankly."

Lee sat back in his chair and observed the honest and open expression on her face as she observed him in return. He had received a request from her to see her in her office at his convenience, sohe'd finished what he was doing and flew a Viper over to Colonial One. He hadn't been sure what she wanted or needed with him, but discussing the Olympic Carrier had not been one of the possibilities that had crossed his mind.

"I can't stop thinking about it," he admitted to her honestly, pausing to gather his thoughts before he continued. "But a man has to accept responsibility for his actions. He. . . he doesn't second-guess the choices he makes. He lives with them. Every day." Lee wasn't sure whyhe'd repeated the words his father had spoken to him, except that they had made sense and had made him feel better about his decision. You made you choices and then lived with the consequences. Perhaps those same words could help her as they had him.

"You know, I remember when President Adarr sent the Marines into Arelon. Fifteen people died. In public, of course, he had to say all the usual things," she added with a little shrug. "He. . . he was sure of whathe'd done. Hed made the right choice. Ah. . . stayed the course. But he knew it was a mistake and he kept the names of the dead in his desk drawer. He said that it was imperative for a leader to remember and learn from the mistakes, even if they can't admit to them publicly."

"Do you think we made a mistake?" Lee asked intently, not sure what she was trying to tell him.

"I don't know. I don't have a desk drawer yet, but. . . I have a pocket," she added softly, her hand reaching into her jacket pocket and pulling out a piece of paper. When she unfolded the paper he saw the name Olympic Carrier was handwritten upon it.

Lee smiled at her, his respect for her increasing exponentially. She understood. After the past two weeks of fighting, running, and sacrificing, she absolutely understood the pressures of leadership.

"I don't want to add to your burdens; however," she paused with a smile, "I have a request. I would like you to be my personal military advisor."

"What? But. . . Im sorry," he stumbled over his words as the shock of her request sank into him. He didn't know what to say to her. As the Commander of the fleet, his father should be her advisor. "Um. . . My father is the senior military officer. He should advise you."

"Oh, no! No, no, no," she said, shaking her head and holding out a hand as if to stay his words. "I don't mean to go behind yourfather's back. Nothing like that. I'm not looking for military advice; I'm looking for advice about the military. That little insight about your father making a gesture, it really helped me. It made me reassess the man. I would appreciate more of those insights. And you can keep your day job as the C.A.G," she added, her expression guileless and completely sincere.

He smiled at her words. "Its pronounced CAG."

"Do you see why I need you?"

Lee laughed at bother her naivete and her ability to laugh at herself. "Um¼ So, whos going to tell my father?"

"Well. . . " she hesitated and looked up at him hopefully. "I was thinking that. . . that would be your first assignment."

Lee found himself laughing again, feeling all his tension flow out with the sound. "Somehow I knew you were going to say that."

"Thank you, Captain."

Lee flew back to the Galactica and immediately requested a meeting with his father. He told him, almost word for word, what the President had said, and informed him that he had agreed to advise her. The Commander looked thoughtful and sat silently for several long seconds, and Lee could almost see the wheels turning in hisfather's head.

"This could make things a bit awkward for you, son," Adama said carefully. "Maybe awkward for all of us. Think this through carefully before you make your final decision. This has the potential to place you in the middle between two sides. However, I can see where you would be of great help to her in learning the ropes. What do you think of our new president?"

"I like her very much," Lee admitted, pleased that his father was asking his opinion. Lee had spent more time with President Roslin than anyone had from the Galactica, and he believed that he had come to know her fairly well. "She has a very good head on her shoulders and isn't afraid to make the hard decisions. She stays calm under pressure, and she doesn't hesitate to ask for advice. She'll be a formidable president."

"Yes. Formidable indeed," his father agreed, his tone imparting that he wasn't sure if this was a good or a bad thing in their particular situation.


	5. Chapter 5

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Chapter Five

Friendships Begun

Athena and her ECO, Racetrack, were back before 2100 hours from their solar system scans, but had found no traces of water in any form. Neither Ice nor Flattop had been successful either, but fortunately, Boomer and Crashdown had found an abundant water source on one of the last moons they had scanned. The relief of the entire crew was evident as a couple dozen of them greeted the successful pilots with cheers and clapping. No one had been looking forward to extended water rationing, and the discovery had made the successful pair the heroes of the day.

She had watched Lee lead Boomer and Crashdown away to meet with the Commander and Colonel Tigh, and had gone back to her quarters to get some sleep. A dozen hours in the saddle of even a Raptor was tiring, and she didn't feel up to dealing with all the talk of Cylons now being in human form, or traitors on the Galactica. Life was just too damned stressful with the tough things you were certain of, and adding rumors to the list of things to worry about wasn't in her nature.

An unusual noise woke Athena out of a sound sleep. The lights were dimmed, as was the custom in the typical dark time hours, and it appeared that at least half of the pilots she quartered with were in their racks. She looked at her watch only to find that it was just past 0300 hours. She still had four hours until she was scheduled to fly her next CAP.

"No," a male voice moaned from above her. There was a thrashing sound and Athena realized that Lee was having a nightmare from the overhead bunk. "No choice! There was no frakking choice!" he gasped.

Theyd had no one-on-one contact since the day in the briefing room. In fact, hed appeared to be avoiding her. She supposed he was embarrassed at his actions, and she hadn't done anything at the time or even later to ease those feelings. It was much simpler for her at the time to have him keep his distanceat least until she was ready to deal with the issue of their time on Colonial One. Though, if she were honest, she found herself wondering what would have happened if she _had_ admitted to being the pilothe'd slept with.

When she heard the raspy mumbling again, Athena climbed out of her bunk and turned around to use her rack as a ladder to reach Lee. She put one arm across his chest, gave his shoulders a squeeze and pressed her mouth to his ear. "Lee!" she hissed quietly, inhaling his clean scent. "Wake up!"

"Hmph!" he snorted lightly, his head turning away from her.

"You're having a bad dream," she added softly, moving slightly as his head turned toward her and their faces were not even an inch apart. She shivered despite herself and pulled her arm away from his chest, clutching the side of the bunk to keep her balance.

"Not anymore," he murmured, his shadowed blue eyes locking with hers in the dim light. "Thanks."

"You were dreaming."

"Yeah. I'll say."

"Want to talk?" she whispered impulsively, knowing that now she'd never get back to sleep. It would be a great opportunity for them to spend some quiet time together without interruptions. She had never really had the chance to just sit and talk with him about anything not work related. However, she wasn't even surehe'd be interested after the direction of their last conversation.

"Yeah. That would be great," he agreed quietly, giving her a quick grin before gently setting her aside and hanging his legs over the edge as he sat up on his bunk. "Grab some clothes," he ordered in his typical CAG manner.

"Yes, sir!" she agreed, smiling to herself. She pulled a flight suit out of her locker, along with a fresh pair of socks that she stuffed into her boots. He had jumped down from his rack and was doing the same thing. When they were out in the companionway they both pulled on their jumpsuits and stood looking at each other, their boots in their hands. "Where to?" she asked with upraised brows.

"My office?" he suggested with a shrug. "I don't know anywhere else where we can be sure of privacy."

Athena nodded in agreement and Lee led the way. Most of the crew were assigned sleeping hours during typical nighttime unless they were at Condition One, so they met no one as they wove their way through the maze of corridors.

The moment they were inside the CAG office and the hatch shut, Lee stepped back and folded his arms across his chest as he looked at her curiously. "Thank you for waking me up. I've gotten the feeling you were avoiding me the past couple of days, so Im a bit surprised you're here. So why _are_ we here anyway?"

"To talk!" she said firmly, tossing her boots on the floor by his desk. Interesting. She'd been certainhe'd been avoiding her, but maybe theyd both just been busy. "Don't you ever just need someone to talk to? Someone who will simply listen without passing judgement? I sure do!"

"Yeah. To be honest, I could use someone to talk to right about now," he admitted quietly, his voice suddenly uncertain and his eyes dropping to the floor. Athena took him by the upper arm and led him over to the one unfurnished wall, where she slid down to sit on the floor, holding her hand up to invite him down with her. "So much has happened so quickly," he added as he went to the locker and took out a blanket before he joined her leaning back against the wall.

"What were you dreaming about?" she asked, liking the feel of his hip and thigh pressed into the side of hers as they sat together. It was companionable, and she liked it. She took the blanket and tossed it over their legs before turning her head in his direction to watch the play of his expressions. All of which were troubled.

"The Olympic Carrier. I was shooting my guns at her and all of the sudden there were faces looking out of all the windows. They were screaming and demanding to know why I was killing them," he confided huskily. His forehead was creased in a frown and his eyes were shadowed with remembered pain.

"I see," she whispered, wondering what the best move would be for her to help him in some small manner. It was only natural he'd have some doubts after what had happened and what he himself had done. Even the fact that youd followed orders didn't take away the feelings of regret or guilt, as she well knew. "Lee, Im here to listen, and I think you really need to talk things through. Tell me everything that happened after the Olympic Carrier jumped into Galactica's space during your patrol."

Lee hesitated for several long moments and then told her about the conversation with the pilot, and how the hackles on his neck had immediately stood on end. Then after the pilot had broken radio contact, Lees every instinct was telling him that there was something very wrong on board that ship. He told her how he had flown along the side of the entire ship and seen no one in the windows. How the alarm had sounded, warning them that there were armed nukes on board the Olympic Carrier. How the Cylons jumped in and were only minutes from firing range. How he had been the first to fire upon the ship, with Starbuck only firing after he had initiated the ships destruction.

Athena listened without interrupting, knowing that Lee needed to get the words out to express the feelings that had been eating away at him from the inside out. He was tortured about his part in the destruction of the Olympic Carrier. Knowing in his heart that he had made the right decision, but thinking in his head that they may have been wrong. His feelings showed a side of him that she was sure he never let out to those around him. He acted strong and sure and capable but he had doubts and fears just like anyone else.

Maybe even more than most.

"Do you want to hear what I think?" she asked when he was finished. She had clear thoughts about whathe'd told her, but didn't want to express her opinion unless he truly wanted to hear it.

He looked over at her and slowly nodded. "Yes. I do."

Athena tipped her head back against the wall and silently analyzed the information he had related to her and then rallied her thoughts before she began to speak. "First off, when a ship breaks radio contact, there is either something wrong with the radio, or the ones in charge of the ship don't want to talk to you. If the radio had been broken, the pilot would have known they were at grave risk and would have been doing their best to signal you from the bridge or one of the windows. I know I sure as hell would have been! Second, there was not one person in view from the passenger sections of the ship. The ship that had been filled above capacity. So there are two choices here no, three. The passengers were either dead already, being forced to stay on the floor out of sight, or they weren't on the ship at all. There were thirteen hundred people on the Olympic Carrier originally; there is no way in the normal course of business that at least _some_ of them wouldn't be in sight. Third, nukes were _armed_ on board. Do you really think that thirteen hundred people would sit quietly while nuclear weapons were armed and prepared for detonation? Or even the crew itself? No frakking way! And finally, the Olympic Carrier was on a collision course with the Galactica. No Colonial Pilot in his right mind would have done what we all know would be a suicide run! Only Cylons. Lee, think this through logically," Athena ordered firmly, reaching out and putting a hand on his thigh and squeezing to be sure she had his full attention. "Look at the evidence in front of you and you'll know, in your head as well as your heart, that Cylons were in control of that ship."

"When you lay it all out like that, it seems ridiculous for me to dwell on it even for a moment," he agreed, looking over at her with his head tipped to one side. Lee smiled gratefully. Almost hesitantly he put his hand over hers upon his leg and clasped her tightly. "I guess I've been going on emotion, not intellect. I know I'll always wonder, though."

"Im sure you will. But the reality of it is that you will _never_ know for absolute certainty," Athena stated honestly. She thought back to a story her father had told her months earlier. "You, the Commander and the President all made the best decision possible based on the data you had at that moment. I don't think it was a mistake, but even if it was its done. Nothing can be changed and nothing can be gained by continuing to agonize over it. You know, someone very close to me told me about a mistake he'd made that resulted in over a dozen deaths. He was a leader in politics and he had to take the public stance thathe'd made the right choice. But all the evidence later told him there was a good chancehe'd made a mistake. He told me that it was imperative for a leader to remember and learn from his decisions, right or wrong."

Lee looked at her oddly for a moment; his brow creased as though in deep thought. Then he smiled, took his hand out of hers and put his arm around her shoulders. "How did you get to be so smart?"

"Good parents, I guess," she answered with a small laugh. "They were the wisest, strongest people I've ever known." She lay her head over on Lees shoulder and sighed with pleasure. This was nice. Just sitting somewhere quietly together, talking about the things that mattered. There was no past, no future just two people talking and sharing. Becoming friends.

"You know I am fully aware of how most of the squadron thinks of me," he said suddenly, his eyes staring off across the room.

"Are you?" she replied vaguely, wondering what direction he was headed with the comment he had just made.

"They think Im a prick."

She laughed at his matter-of-fact tone. "Well, I have heard that word mentioned a few times. More at the beginning than now," she told him reassuringly. It was true. But since their marathon days of fighting,he'd proved to be a solidif seriousleader. Most of the comments about him of late had been more on the optimistic side.

"They look at me and all they see is an Adama. But I'm not like him, AJ. I'm not like my father. I just don't have the ability to be casual with my pilots. To be buddy-buddy one day and then enforce the rules the next. And honestly, in my experience, being friends with people you supervise just doesn't work in the long haul," he admitted with a sigh. "As a result, they think I don't care, or Im stuck up, or "

"You act like you have a stick up your ass," she quoted him with a straight face. When he choked on his laughter she grinned over at him, glad that they were able to lighten the mood a bit. "The pilots don't quite know what to expect from you, Lee. You're the son of Commander Adama, yet you're nothing like the man they've served under for so long. You are standoffish is the word that comes to mind, and you don't really let go enough for them to feel like they are able to get to know you. However, on the flip sidefrom what I've heard aroundthey definitely respect you as a pilot and CAG, and know they can count on you as their leader. That goes a long way. You just need to loosen up a bit once in awhile."

"Yeah, but its easier said than done."

"True. As is most of life," she added with a shrug. She'd told him what she thought, but it was up to him to decide what to do about the varied issues he was facing. His position made her own life feel very calm and untroubled in comparison.

"You know, I thing Im beginning to feel sleepy again," he admitted, trying to stifle a big yawn. "I think you hit the rack at least two or three hours before I did."

"Lie down," she instructed, patting her thigh to indicate that he should use her as a pillow. "My watch alarm is set for me to get up at 0600 hours, and I have a CAP to fly at 0700. When do you need to be up?"

"The same will be fine. I don't have a CAP today, but we've got a lot of planning and scheduling to do now that Boomer and Crash found water," he confided, agreeably sliding down to the floor so that he lay on his back with his head and a portion of his shoulders on her lap. "We'll be moving the fleet closer to the moon and setting up Viper patrols to protect the minors and people transporting the water to the ships."

"Its a relief that Sharon and Crash found water so quickly," Athena murmured, making sure the blanket covered his bare arms. With a smile she began stroking his soft brown hair with one hand while her other rested lightly upon his chest, enjoying the rise and fall of his breathing beneath her touch. "Im not sure you'd like me quite as much once I'd been without a shower for four or five days."

"I'd like you no matter what," he disagreed with a smile of his own, his eyelids fluttering shut. He sighed heavily and turned his head slightly into her belly.

Athena sighed in contentment as she continued to stroke his hair. His features began to relax beneath her caressing fingers and his chest began to rise and fall in a steady, almost hypnotic rhythm. She was lucky to have had this time with him, she thought to herself. Not many men in her experience would be content to simply be with her without the presence of sexual intimacy.

"AJ?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you here with me?" His eyes were closed but it was clear he was waiting for her answer.

She smiled to herself again, unable to hold back that small expression of her happiness. It said something that even in a moment of silence his mind was on the same track as hers. "Because you needed someone and I was there. Lee, I think you're a good man, and someone I'd be proud to call my friend. I don't think any of us have enough friends these days."

He smiled lightly and nuzzled her belly, his eyes never opening. Within seconds he was asleep.

xxxxx

DAY FIFTEEN

Lee awoke with AJ lying next to him on the hard floor, her head on his shoulder, her arm across his chest, and one of her legs entwined with his. The braid that held her hair had loosened and there were soft tendrils framing the fair skin of her face. She was sound asleep and looked so peaceful in his arms that he couldn't bring himself to wake her. Besides, he was enjoying the moment of being able to watch her without her knowing.

He thought back over their discussion in the night, and the way her mind worked in such an analytical manner amazed him even now. She had patiently listened to him as he recounted the details leading up to the destruction of the Olympic Carrier, and then had replayed each fact to what had been a logical and natural conclusion. Hearing her state her thoughts and feeling about the whole affair had certainly made him feel better about the whole affair. Made him realize that he had done the only thing he could under that particular set of circumstances. Made him understand that the evidence clearly pointed to the fact that the Olympic Carrier could only have been under Cylon control.

She stirred lightly in his arms as she slept on, her leg moving until it rested heavily across his groin. He took deep breaths to keep his arousal under bay, but he knew it was a hopeless task. She was soft in all the right places and smelled too damn good for him to maintain any semblance of disinterest. As a result, his erection was growing despite his best efforts. He took a hand and gently disentangled her leg from his body, not wanting her to get the wrong idea from his response. Her physical closeness was definitely arousing, especially since she was someone he both found attractive and admired. But, at least for the time being, it was important they keep their relationship professional. He could easily see them as friends, and he wasn't looking for anything more than that at this particular moment in time.

Somewhere during the night Lee had decided that AJ probably wasn't the woman from Colonial One, after all. Though she smelled intoxicatingly female and alluring, he had never smelled the jasmine scent on her since the first time theyd met, plus she was careful to maintain a physical distance between them whenever they were together. And as he got to know her better, she just didn't seem the type to give herself to a man she didn't know. Last night was the closest they had ever been, but it had been an innocent sort of physical contact that had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with friendship.

"Good morning, AJ," he murmured as he kissed the top of her nose with a grin. "Its time to wake up and face the day."

"Do I have to?" she asked sleepily, her body pressed lightly against his as she lifted her arms and stretched her stiff muscles.

"I'm afraid so. We both have early shifts today. Remember?" he reminded her with a grin, reluctantly looking away as her tank molded to her breasts, outlining them clearly. He took several slow and steady breaths in an attempt to control his all too male reaction to her nearness and his attraction to her.

"Yeah, right, Lee. You're already at work," she grumbled, raising her eyebrows at him before looking pointedly at his paper covered desk. "I'm the one who has to get up and go out to face the world."

"Too true," he laughed, watching with interest as she got up and straightened her flight suit. The snug cloth of her uniform tank continued to outline the full shape of her breasts as she pulled the jumpsuit top up into place and then buttoned up the front.

"It's rude to stare, you know."

"I'm not staring. . . I'm admiring," he challenged with a guilty look. He _had_ been staringrepeatedlybut he didn't have to admit to it. However, he was really glad he was still covered by the blanket, or she would see the extent of his morning erection and be the one who stared.

She frowned at him as she plopped into his desk chair and began pulling on her boots. "Don't make me sorry I woke you up last night!"

He laughed at her scolding tone.

"Thank you, AJ, for last night. I appreciate your letting me talk and for being a great sounding board when I needed it. I can't tell you how much it meant for me to have you listen to my worries, and how much I value your opinions" he admitted quietly. It _had_ meant a lot to him. For the first time in years he felt as though he had someone he could trust with his innermost thoughts and feelings. Someone with whom he could share his thoughts and fears and worries without having it held over his head later.

She smiled at him, her expression one of openness and honesty. "It was my pleasure, Captain Adama."

"Lee. I like it when you call me Lee," he told her with an embarrassed shrug at his own words. He had spoken without thought, and then realized that her use of his given name was one of the things that made him feel close to her. Even his father rarely called him by his given name, and Lee liked the personal feel of her saying it. "If we're going to be friends, you need to keep calling me Lee when were alone."

"Well then, have a good day, Lee," she told him with a little smile and a nod as she opened the hatch and walked out of his office.

Lee smiled to himself and picked himself up off the floor to sit down in his desk chair. His body was stiff and sore from the hours spent on the hard metal floor, but his mind and heart felt lighter and freer than they had in over a week. Since the destruction of the Olympic Carrier at his hands. AJ was good for him, he thought with a smile. He could be himself around her.

"Anybody home?" a taunting voice Lee recognized as Starbuck called as the hatch opened. "Is it safe for me to come in?"

"Enter," he told her gruffly, realizing his peaceful morning was at an end. She sounded way too cheerful and mischievous for 0700 in the morning. No doubt she had figured out he and AJ had been together and was here to give him whatever grief she could. It was her way. She didn't mean anything bad by it, but she was just the type who found your weaknesses and picked away at you just to get a reaction.

"All alone, I see."

"Yes. Did you need something in particular?"

"Just stopping by to see a superior asshole," she taunted, sitting down in the second chair he kept for any crew with whom he might be meeting.

"Starbuck," he growled in warning. Yep. He'd been dead on. She was in a mood and it was plain as day it was going to be at his expense.

"I just wanted you to know that your father cornered me yesterday and asked me how you were doing," she told him, looking up at him with wide and innocent eyes. An act, to be sure. Starbuck hadn't been innocent since the day she was born.

"Really. And what did you tell him?" he asked curiously. Lee took her words at face value. She might be a pain in the ass, but she didn't lie. And actually, he wasn't even really surprised that his father was checking up on him, nor with the fact that it was Starbuck he'd asked. Starbuck could be counted on to tell the truth, no matter how much you did or didn't really want to hear it. And she'd rather eat glass than deny the old man anything he wanted.

"I told him that I thought you were working into the CAG position nicely and that you had the potential to do a great job. Of course, I also told him that you were still no way near as good a pilot as me, but he already knew that anyway. I also told him I thought you might have a new girlfriend."

Lee choked at the words she'd so smoothly tacked onto the end of her statement. Frak! "You didn't!"

"Nah. I just wanted to see how you'd react," she told him with a playful grin that left him both steaming mad and relieved all at the same time. "Personally, I have to admit my share of curiosity about your um interesting reaction to the new and quite attractive lieutenant the other morning. However, there are some things that parents don't need to know about their children."

"Thank the gods!" Lee closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew that Starbuck was both observant and intuitive, despite her brash and outspoken manner. "You're a good friend, Kara, but you don't always know whats going on inside my head. There is nothing between AJ and myself other than friendship. And its a friendship I value highly. I've discovered that she's someone I can talk to and, though it might surprise you to hear it, I find I need that these days. But thanks for the positive word to the old man. I owe you."

"You better frakking believe it! You owe me big time," she teased.

"Yes, I believe I do."

xxxxx

Athenas CAP was almost over when Starbucks Viper approached hers and through the front canopy window, she saw the blonde pilot mime using a radio. Getting the idea at once, Athena switched to the same channel they had used privately several days earlier.

"Whats up, Starbuck?" she asked curiously. Starbuck's shift wasn't to begin for another fifteen minutes. "This is beginning to become a habit."

"I just wanted to chat for a minute before my shift. I haven't seen much of you these days and wanted to see how you were fitting in with the team."

"Well, with our usually having different shifts, its not surprising you and I haven't run into each other," Athena said dryly and then smiled. It was clear as open space that Starbuck was digging for information in her own, none too subtle way. "And I'm doing just fine; thanks for asking. Which reminds me of something I've been wanting to ask you. Want to run with me after your shift? I understand you like to jog and I haven't found anyone else who does."

"Sure. As long as you don't make me look bad," the other woman teased laughingly. "Its a lot more fun to run with someone else. Okay, I'm off to begin my CAP. I just wanted to see what you were up to and make sure you were adapting. Switching channels."

Starbuck switched channels, waggled her Vipers wings at Athena, and shot off for only the gods knew where, before Athena could even say goodbye.


	6. Chapter 6

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Chapter Six

Choosing Sides

Lee, his father, Colonel Tigh and Lt. Gaeta were flown to Colonial One to meet with the President about the water crisis and their plan to combat it. The meeting had begun in a normal manner, however, when the President asked Lee to go to the Astral Queen as her personal representative things had begun to deteriorate. There was no doubt in Lees mind that the Commander was thoroughly pissed off that Lee was being considered the Presidents man. He had said he wanted someone to represent the Galactica, making it clear that he felt Lee was on the other side. It was decided that Lee, Billy, D as the Galactica representative, and Cally as the technical support, would travel to the Astral Queen to request the prisoners assist in water recovery.

The Commander was also more than a little angry with the President for insisting that the fifteen hundred prisoners being held on the Astral Queen be allowed to volunteer, and not be conscripted into duty. The common belief within the military was that prisoners were to be used as befitted the authority group who held them in custody, so the Presidents edict hadn't gone over well with the Commander or Colonel Tigh.

Lee followed his father out and moved into step with him, deciding it would be better for them all to get the conflict resolved before they needed to buckle down to work.

"Something on your mind, Captain?" the Commander asked gruffly as they walked toward the hanger bay of Colonial One.

"I just thought maybe you had something you wanted to say," Lee offered, plainly seeing that his father was angry and hoping they could work it out before he had to leave. If he had learned nothing in the past weeks, it was that it was a mistake to separate from loved ones without resolving petty issues beforehand.

"I have nothing to say to the _personal representative_ of the President," his father replied curtly, not so much as looking at Lee as they walked.

"I'm still Galacticas lead pilot!" Lee protested, wanting to get through the harsh exterior his father was presenting. Damn it! He was just trying to do his job to the best of his abilities and help out the President at the same time.

"I have nothing to say to him either. Every man has to decide for themselves which side they're on."

"I didn't know we were picking sides!" Lee spat angrily, striding off ahead of his father. He climbed into the co-pilot seat of the Raptor beside Flattop, and ignored the others as they filed onto the ship to return to Galactica. Why the hell did he even try? Even on his best days, there was nothing he could do to please his father!

xxxxx

Athena prepared her Raptor for the flight to the Astral Queen. She had drawn the duty to transport Lee and the others in their quest for laborers to mine the ice. The group that filed onto her ship was quiet and tense. Lee sat silently next to her in the co-pilot seat, and looked at her in a manner that told her that, though he was frustrated and angry about something, it was not the right time to talk. His stormy eyes also told her that all was not right in the Adama world. D was obviously unhappy to give up her free time, and Cally wasn't sure she was the right one for the job ahead of them. Only Billy looked happy to be on the detail, and he could hardly keep his eyes off of D.

"They're expecting us," Lee told her after they had taken off, "and should have the landing bay open and waiting for us to arrive. Once we're there, secure your ship and wait on board. I'm not expecting any trouble, but stay alert anyway. I don't anticipate our being on the Astral Queen for more than half an hour to an hour, at most."

"Yes, sir," she agreed, wondering what had occurred to put Lee in such a foul mood. When she'd left him in his office that morning he'd been relaxed and feeling good. A frown seemed to have taken permanent residence upon his brow, and his blue eyes were dark with anger. Athena navigated them aboard the Astral Queen and landed softlya textbook landing. Lee watched her in silence as she opened the door and the team began to file off.

"Be safe, Lee," she murmured under her breath as he rose to stand behind her.

He glanced back around at her and nodded, the beginnings of a small smile twisting his lips as he placed a discreet hand lightly upon her shoulder. "You, too."

"Not much else to do. I'm just a glorified chauffeur today," she informed him with a grin as he let her go and exited to join his team. She hit the switch to close the doors and leaned back for a rest. She adjusted her radio frequency to the one used by the Astral Queen, and listened to the minimal radio chatter as it occurred. Not a real talkative lot, she thought with a sigh. Oh well, at least she'd have some time to catch up on a bit of much needed rest.

Within minutes she heard Lee's voice come on over the frequency as he made a broadcast to the ship full of prisoners.

"I'm Captain Adama, personal representative of the President. We're in a crisis. Thousands of us are of the verge of dying from dehydration. The good news is we have found water. The bad news is, its located on a moon with harsh environmental conditions. We need a thousand able-bodied men to help us get that water. President Roslin feels that you represent our best chance. She also recognizes that you are not slaves. Any man who volunteers to help us during this emergency will earn freedom points, which can be applied toward earning his release. We're offering you a chance for a new beginning. Whoever is interested, please just step out of your cell."

Athena whistled to herself at that revelation. It was amazing to her that the Commander would have agreed with this not so insignificant detail. The common policy of the colony administration did, indeed, consider prisoners to be slaves. They became slaves the moment they were convicted of their crimes, and remained slaves until the day they finished serving their time for whatever crime they had committed.

xxxxx

Only one man stepped forward and he had declined the Presidents offer for himself and the rest of the prisoners. Lee discovered that the man was none other than Tom Zarek, a terrorist who had blown up a government building of Sagittarian, and had been in prison for the twenty years since then. Surprisingly enough, Lee knew quite a bit about the things Zarek had stood for, and found it sad that such an intelligent man had made such extreme choices and ended up in prison. He decided to meet one-on-one with Zarek to see if he would listen to reason.

When Lee arrived at the cell the guard opened the cell and Zarek turned away and put his hands on the top of his head. "No, thats not necessary. I'd like to talk to you," Lee said as the older man slowly turned, lowering his hands.

Tom Zarek had not aged well in the harshness of prison. His hair was still a dark brown, but strands of gray could be seen if you looked closely. His body was prison hard and lean, but it was his face where you could really see the years that had passed. Premature wrinkles webbed through the pale skin, and his blue eyes seemed almost lifeless.

"Guard. Prisoner 893893 requests permission to speak with his visitor," Zarek requested in a moderate and quite pleasant voice. Upon receiving permission from the guard, who turned and left the cell, Zarek turned his attention to Lee. "We're not allowed to speak unless asked a direct question. And you didn't ask me a direct question. You've never been in a prison before, have you, Captain?"

"No." What else could he say? It was true. He'd never been in a prison, nor had he ever thought to be in one, even as a visitor. His life had taken many strange turns in the past weeks.

"You're fortunate. May I sit down?"

"Yes, of course," Lee agreed, sitting in a chair across from the bunk where Zarek sat. He hoped he could persuade Zarek to see reason, and that they had nothing to lose, and much to gain, by agreeing to help the fleet. "We need these men of yours to help us."

"They're not _my_ men. They belong to you. I belong to you. You own us. You're the master; we're the slaves," Zarek informed him in an almost singsong voice.

"You're clearly a man of principle. I respect that," Lee added, sincerely. He hated the violence Zarek had initiated on his home planet, but this man was one who had known what he stood for and done all he could to advance freedom for his people.

"Really?"

"The things you've stood for over the years. The book you wrote," Lee commented, trying to make some sort of connection with the man before him.

"The book that had to be smuggled out of labor camp because stumps aren't allowed freedom of expression?" Zarek challenged with upraised eyebrows.

"I read it. In college. Thought it was radical. . . challenging. Made me question some things I'd accepted before without thinking," Lee added thoughtfully, almost to himself. He'd almost forgotten the thrill he'd gotten reading Zareks book. The book of an educated, dedicated, logical and conscienceless man.

"Nice to hear I'm a big hit on campus."

"You weren't," Lee corrected him dryly. "The book was banned. I read it anyway. Point is, I understand where you're coming from. But I don't think you understand how critical the situation is out there. People are gonna start dying. All I want, the President wants, is to offer you a chance to earn your freedom."

"Now you've said the truth. Freedom is earned." The cell doors opened automatically and Lee could see prisoners streaming out into the ship, shouting and cheering. "It'll all be over soon," Zarek added, looking at Lee in a dispassionate manner.

Lee jumped up from the chair and leapt out into the corridor. Before he could get more than a few feet several prisoners grabbed him. For a minute or so, he gave as good as he got, but the sheer numbers of prisoners overwhelmed him, and he sunk to his knees. Another hard hit to the side of his head and he slumped to the floor, feeling feet pummeling his ribs before he passed out cold.

There were no other broadcasts, and Athena found herself wondering how many of the prisoners would be willing to work for their freedom. And, even if they decided to do so, what kind of a task would it be to oversee such a group of men? Of course, even if they tried to get away, where could they go? There was no where to escape to this far out into unknown space.

xxxxx

Athena's thoughts were disturbed by the sounds of gunfire. She checked her monitors and saw that a half dozen prisoners were rushing her ship from the rear. Something had gone severely wrong, she thought as she sealed the door with the flip of a switch. The Raptor shook as it absorbed conventional gunfire, and Athena knew there was no choice but to get out while she still could. She leapt into the control seat and fired up her engines, not caring who or what was behind her. The suspensor field was still on-line and she knew she would have to force her way out.

She gunned the engines and shot forward at the suspensor field, thus hitting the field with enough force to make a hole for her ship. She zipped out of the landing bay and set a direct course for Galactica. As worried as she was for Lee and the others, she knew the only thing she could do for them was to deliver intel and get help.

"Galactica, this is Raptor Four on detail to the Astral Queen."

"Go ahead, Raptor Four," a communication officer responded.

"I am in route to Galactica without Captain Adama's team. My ship was attacked and sustained heavy fire in the Astral Queen landing bay. I barely made it out," she reported, willing her heart to cease racing and her voice to slow down. "I have no information on what has occurred to Captain Adama and his team."

"Roger, Raptor Four. Return to Galactica and report to CIC immediately."

Athena took a deep breath and closed her eyes, sending a quick prayer out for Lee's safety. "Understood."

xxxxx

Lee woke up on the floor of the Astral Queens bridge, his head aching and his ribs burning like fire. One of his wrists were shackled to a heavy metal railing near the ship controls, and Tom Zarek stood half a dozen feet away. Lee pushed on the inside of his teeth with his tongue to make sure none were loose, and sat up on the floor to find Zarek looking at him in an almost sad manner.

"They won't negotiate while you're holding hostages," Lee stated cautiously, knowing that he needed to play things very carefully. He had no idea what had been done to the three others in the detail, but he could only hope they were all right.

"I don't want to negotiate."

"Then what do you want?" he demanded, wondering just what Zareks game was. The man was altogether too calm and unaffected by what was happening. It was as if he had no emotions.

"To be treated like men, not animals. Now I finally have something to bargain with," Zarek added with a smile.

"So what happens now?"

"We're gonna talk."

"What about?" Lee asked with a sigh and a shake of his head. He wasn't altogether sure Zarek was sane. There was just something too¼ controlled about his demeanor.

"Your father. That how you got to be the personal representative of the President? Because of your father?" Zarek asked mockingly, no doubt thinking he could get to Lee by disparaging him in some way.

"Hardly," Lee drawled, almost laughing at the absurdity of that statement. As if his father wanted him in such a position, answering to the President instead of him. Not likely. Zarek obviously knew nothing about the Commander.

"So, they don't get along? Adama and Roslin?"

"They have their differences. But not when it comes to dealing with terrorists," Lee added with certainty. He had no doubt his father and President Roslin were going to be on the same page when dealing with this situation.

Zarek let out a small laugh and tilted his head to one side as he looked at Lee. "I thought you said your respected me. Read my book."

"That was before you resorted to violence and hostage-taking."

"Always better when the oppressed don't fight back, isn't it?" Zarek asked, demonstrating what he must have considered a sense of humor.

Frak, Lee swore to himself as he turned away from the man and pulled off his uniform blouse to check his injuries. Things did not look good for him right now. His life was indeed in others hands at that particular moment.

xxxxx

Athena landed on board Galactica and took of at a run toward CIC. She didn't have any additional information to provide, but she had no doubt the Commander would want to personally hear what had happened. She arrived on the bridge to find the Commander, Colonel Tigh, and Starbuck standing motionless at a console as they awaited her arrival.

"What the hell happened?" Colonel Tigh demanded, his tone accusatory and angry.

"Captain Adama's team had been gone for about twenty minutes when I observed a group of armed prisoners running toward my ship from behind," she informed them carefully. "I sealed the ship, but was receiving heavy fire and decided it would be best to get back to Galactica and spread the word that something unexpected was occurring on the Astral Queen."

"You frakking ran!" Colonel Tigh yelled, glaring at her harshly, his lips drawn.

"Colonel Tigh," the Commander said softly, shooting him a warning look before turning to watch her once more with unreadable eyes. "The Lieutenant did what she was trained to do. Rather than being taken by an unknown enemy, she retreated to spread the word to those who could help. She did what I would expect any of my pilots to do."

"Thank you, sir," Athena accepted gratefully, breathing deeply to maintain her calm that had been nearly lost under the heat of the Colonels hard words. Lords of Kobol, please don't let the Commander think I abandoned his son, she prayed silently. And please don't let Lee think I deserted him! "I saw no other choice at the time. I'm sorry, sir, but I have no idea where Captain Adama's team is on the Astral Queen. I was ordered to remain on my ship when they left and never saw beyond the landing bay."

"Understood."

"Well, what the frak are we gonna do?" Starbuck demanded in an agitated tone. "We're sure as hell not gonna leave them with fifteen hundred rioting prisoners!"

"No, we will-"

A fleet wide broadcast broke in and came over the communication line, cutting off the Commanders words. "This is the new Captain of the Astral Queen. The crew and your people are my prisoners. They will not be harmed. But I have two conditions before I release my captives. First, the government which controls our fate is illegal and illegitimate and it must submit to the will of the people. I demand the immediate resignation of Laura Roslin and her ministers. Second, I demand free and open elections to choose a new leadership. And a new government that represents all of the people. These demands are not made for me, or the former slaves held on this ship, but for you, the people. The survivors of the holocaust and the children of humanitys future. I am Tom Zarek and this is the first day of the new era."

Athena stood to one side and watched as Colonel Tigh and Starbuck worked on a plan to rescue Lee and the others from the Astral Queen. Or rather, Starbuck worked on a plan while Tigh watched and listened.

"We take three assault teams; Alpha, Bravo, Constellation. We jam their dradis, the Raptors cut through the hull here, here, and here without being seen," Starbuck planned aloud, her pen marking points on the Astral Queens schematics. "Once we're inside, Alpha takes"

"What's this _we_ crap?" the Colonel asked, suddenly understanding what Starbuck had said.

"I'm going, sir," Starbuck said in a tone that told Athena she would never give in. Athena was getting her first exposure to the stubborn and rebellious Starbuck she had been told about but hadn't personally seen.

The Commander, who had been silently watching them work, stepped in. "We have a few Marines left on Galactica. Let them handle it, Starbuck."

"They don't have a sniper and, with all due respect, sir, I'm the best shot in or out of the cockpit," she stated adamantly, her eyes locked on the Commander.

"She's right, for once," Tigh reluctantly agreed.

"Wonders never cease," the Commander said with a slight smile at the incongruity of Starbuck and Tigh actually agreeing on anything. "All right, you're going in. You get a clear shot at Zarek, you take it. I want control of that ship immediately, and I want all the hostages alive," he added, his look telling them all that Lee was first and foremost on his mind.

"Yes, sir," Starbuck agreed, her eyes going from the schematic to Athena. For an instant a look of pity flashed in Starbucks eyes, as if she understood the depth of Athenas fear for Lee. "I'll need three Raptors. AJ, you're in Alpha with me. Go find Boomer and Flattop, brief them and meet us on the flight deck. We take off in fifteen minutes."

Athena nodded her understanding, saluted the Commander and Colonel, and rushed out of the CIC. She had been afraid the Commander or Starbuck would suggest she stay behind for some reason. She wanted nothing more than to return to the ship where she'd been forced to leave Lee and his team. Though she might not be able to physically board the Astral Queen, she'd be close by if Lee should need her.

They took off fifteen minute later on the dot, four marines on each Raptor, and Starbuck sitting next to Athena. They sat silently for a few minutes and then Starbuck looked over at Athena, her eyes filled with determination.

"He'll be fine," Starbuck said in a low voice that only Athena could hear. "Lee always comes through."

"I know," Athena agreed with a nod, not even caring that Kara was jumping to conclusions about her and Lees relationship. . . such as it was. However, she was curious. "Why is it you always act as though theres something between Lee and I? I've told you several times that we're just friends."

"Okay. Fine. You're just friends. But if you could have seen your face when Colonel Tigh was reaming you for leaving them behind... I can tell you care about him, and I actually think he cares about you. Call it what you like," Starbuck said with a shrug. Then she nodded sagely at Athena and moved to the back to get ready.

Within minutes Athena's Raptor, as well as the two others, were attached to the hull of the Astral Queen. "Soft seal complete. Pressurized," Athena informed them. She kept her eyes averted as one of the marines pulled out a torch and began cutting through the hull of the Astral Queen.

"Seal the hole once we're through," Starbuck ordered Athena as she prepared to climb through. "Stay attached until things are under control, and then land in the bay. We'll need all three ships to get our people out."

Athena nodded her understanding. "Good hunting."

Starbuck disappeared through the hole into the Astral Queen without a backward glance. And Athena began yet another wait.

xxxxx

Lee massaged his wrist after Zarek released him from the shackle, and watched Zarek, a glimmer of understanding suddenly stealing into his mind. He had just had the most inane conversation with Zarek about his call sign, Apollo. About how Apollo was god of the hunt and the god of healing, and how he was able to reconcile the two opposing forces. His ending words struck pay dirt in Lee's soul though, as Zarek said that mortals had to choose one side or the other, and had Lee chosen a side?

Considering the conversation with his father earlier in the day, Lee had to wonder whether it was, indeed, time to choose a side. Did he choose the President and the hope of democracy, or his father who held the military within his hands? Were the two so diametrically opposed that they couldn't work together? Was it naïve of him to think they could?

Lee wondered what side Zarek had chosen. And then it came to him.

"You want them to storm the ship, don't you?" he asked in amazement. The man before him was crazier than he'd ever thought possible. "You don't want elections, you don't even want your freedom. You want a bloodbath!"

"You don't understand," Zarek said with a shake of his head.

"Tom Zarek's been out of the headlines, out of the news. . . forgotten for twenty years as he rots in a cell," Lee said sarcastically, his tone biting as understanding washed through him. "Now he's got a chance to go out in a blaze of glory. . . and he's gonna take it."

"Once Roslin uses Adamas soldiers to massacre the people on this ship, prisoners and hostages alike, people in the fleet will never, never forgive them. The entire government will collapse," he added with obvious pleasure at the thought.

"You've been saying everything you're doing is for freedom. But the truth is its all about Tom Zarek and his personal death wish!" Lee added scathingly, suddenly seeing through the façade of the man before him. He was crazy and didn't care if he lived or died as long as he stirred the pot on his way out.

Before Zarek could respond, there was a loud screaming and a shot fired from down in the cell area. Lee ran without conscious thought down the steps toward the cell area, with Zarek right on his heels. He skidded to a stop at the source of the screaminga man with blood streaming down the side of his head in a cell with an injured Cally. Blood covered the girl's face and shirtfront, and she cradled her belly in obvious pain from where she'd been shot.

"Open the door!" Lee cried out to Zarek, who had stopped beside him, his eyes wide as he observed the horror before them. "She's been shot. You said they weren't animals. What do you call this? Hes gonna kill her! Do something!" Lee yelled at Zarek, not knowing what else to do to save the girl whod done nothing to deserve what was happening to her.

"You did this," Zarek hissed at Lee, his eyes still on the man who was wildly waving a gun inside the cell where he was locked with Cally. "You put him in a cage. You made him a monster!"

The man swore at Cally, ranting that it was her fault and they all needed to die. And that she'd die first.

"He's gonna do it!" Lee shouted at Zarek, never feeling as helpless in his entire life as he felt in that single moment. Cally and the others were his responsibility and he had no idea what to do to save them.

"You reap what you sow," Zarek replied in a voice that was now so calm it sounded almost devoid of emotion

The accusatory words enflamed Lee and he leapt at one of the other armed prisoners standing near by, grabbing the weapon from his hands. Without thought, he turned and fired through the bars of the cell, shooting the crazed man only an instant before the prisoners gun went off, barely missing Cally. Lee held the gun in his trembling hand up to Zarek's head. His entire body shook with adrenaline and fear, but he kept his eyes focused on the man before him.

"How about it, Tom?" Lee rasped out angrily, his rage beginning to bubble over at how close his young crewmember had come to death. And at how they were still vastly outnumbered by the prisoners on the ship and weren't out of danger yet. "You still have a death wish? You ready to leave this world, right here, right now?" Lee was ready to do it. Hell, he wanted nothing more than to blow Zareks brains out and end it all in a single instant! If they were gonna die he be damned if Zarek would get away.

"Yes," Zarek whispered, closing his eyes at the feel of the cold metal against his skull.

"Too bad," Lee growled, finally allowing common sense to overcome the rush of recklessness that had threatened to overwhelm him and get them all killed for a certainty. "'Cause this is what you're gonna do. You're gonna tell you men to help us get water off that moon. They're gonna work for their points. And they're gonna earn their freedom. And then. . . then. . . you're gonna get your election," Lee added, knowing in his heart what needed to be done. Knowing what the right thing was. He was going to be nobodys hero for what he was about to do, but Lee knew beyond a shadow of a doubt what had to be done to end this standoff.

"What?" Zarek asked, looking up in shocked disbelief.

"Because you're right, Tom. You are right about democracy and consent of the people. I believe in those things, and we're gonna have them. And you can have them, too. Or you can have this bullet. Your call," Lee offered, hoping that Zarek would finally do the right thing.

"How do I know your father and the President will honor your word?"

"You don't. You let the rest of the hostages go," Lee informed him tiredly, the gun still held to the older mans head. "We'll leave this ship in your hands. They try and come after you; you can still have your last stand. It's your choice. You reap what you sow," he added in a tone so low that only Zarek could hear the words.

Zarek sighed heavily and nodded his head. "All right. All right. Lower your weapons," he called out loudly to the prisoners that surrounded them. They obeyed without question, though Lee could see them shooting each other questioning looks.

"Back off!" Lee shouted, as he stepped back and shot the lock off the door to the cell where Cally lay bleeding. He rushed inside to kneel at her side. "Okay, Cally. You're gonna be okay. You just hang in there, you hear?"

Tom Zarek had followed Lee into the cell and was standing over the man who had attacked Cally, looking down at him sadly. Perhaps realizing that he had led the man to his death. Lee looked up at Zarek and instinctively threw his body at the older man, knocking him out of the way of the sniper shot that would have blown his head off. Lee had seen the red dot from the laser sight of the sniper rifle, and knew that Zareks death would ruin all Lee had accomplished in the past few minutes.

"Cease fire!" Lee yelled, looking up at the decks above and seeing Marines holding rifles on the prisoners below. "Cease fire!"

"Thanks," Zarek whispered, looking up at Lee who stood over him.

Lee ignored him and looked at the Marines once more. Zarek was an idiot if he thought Lee had saved his life because he cared. Lee just hadn't wanted all his plans undone with a single, well-deserved bullet. "I need a medic here!" he called, frantic to get help for Cally.

As he knelt by Callys side he head Zarek tearfully whisper, "God!" to himself.

xxxxx

Athena sealed the hull of the Astral Queen and waited to receive Starbucks broadcast that they were in the clear and needed transportation. Closing the soft seal hatch to her Raptor, Athena disconnected from the Astral Queen and sped around the side to the landing bay entrance. Boomer and Flattop followed closely behind and they opened their ships to evacuate the hostages and the Marines that had forcibly entered the Astral Queen.

The three pilots stood quietly and watched as their people came down the stairs into the landing bay. Cally was strapped to a stretcher and was rushed onto Flattops ship, along with Billy, D, and three of the Marines. Six more Marines stood by Boomers bird, arms at ready and Starbuck and three of the Marines moved to stand by Athenas ship. Athena saw Lee speaking quietly to the Captain of the Astral Queen, who nodded and stepped over to a communication unit.

"This is Pilot Captain Wilkins. We are leaving the Astral Queen. All crew who desire to leave should report to the shuttle bay immediately. Two shuttles will be leaving in fifteen minutes. If you're not on board, you're staying behind," he added succinctly.

Lee had his uniform blouse thrown over his shoulder as he walked toward where Athena stood by the door of her bird, and she noticed that he moved gingerly and held his abdomen with one arm. "Lieutenant," he greeted softly. "I'm really pleased to see you," he added in an undertone that no one else could hear.

"Are you hurt, Captain?" she asked, frowning as she observed the deep cut above his right eye that still dripped blood and the nasty scrape on his left cheek.

"I'll live," he told her dryly, his eyes never leaving her face as he spoke. "I wondered there for awhile," he admitted with a solemn smile.

Athena entered the Raptor, pulled out the first aid kit, tended his bleeding facial wounds and carefully helped him back into his uniform blouse while they waited for the crew of the Astral Queen to load into their own shuttles. It looked like most of the crew had chosen to leave, and Athena knew that space would have to be found for them somewhere on other ships, though that was nothing she needed to concern herself with. When the Astral Queen shuttle doors closed, Starbuck ordered the rest of the Marines to load for departure. Athena sat in the pilots seat and powered up the Raptor, noting silently that Lee again had commandeered the co-pilot seat for himself, leaving Starbuck in the back with the Marines.

"I need to go to Colonial One," he told her quietly as she took off and left the Astral Queen. He sighed heavily as if he were not looking forward to what he had ahead of him. "I need to report to the President. Would you please radio Galactica and request that the Commander meet us there?"

Athena nodded and did what he'd asked of her, watching him out of the corner of her eye. He looked exhausted and beat up, but he wouldn't be able to rest until he had been debriefed. . . in his case by both the President and his Commander Adama. She landed in Colonial One and Lee rose to leave.

"Drop Starbuck and the Marines off on Galactica and then come back for me," he ordered her tiredly.

"Yes, sir," she agreed, and once he had stepped silently off her ship and was in the clear she followed his orders.

xxxxx

"I don't believe this!" President Roslin exclaimed, her voice as loud and strident as Lee had ever heard. She was definitely angry with him.

"Its unacceptable," the Commander agreed, his tone cold and hard. If possible, he was even angrier than the President. And Lee was the focus of all their anger, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He'd done what was right, whether they liked it or not.

"Its done," Lee said firmly. "The prisoners have control of the Astral Queen. We evacd all the guards and support personnel who wanted off. Its their ship," he added unnecessarily, not even caring that they were pissed off at him. Neither of them had been there when decisions had needed to be made, and they would just have to deal with what had been decided.

"They're a threat to the entire fleet!" his father growled, his expression of anger and frustration locked upon his face. The old man wasn't used to having to stand by helplessly and have no say in the decision-making.

"They've been disarmed. The ship itself has no weapons," Lee added, attempting to keep his voice calm and diffuse their shock and anger.

"The ship itself _is_ a weapon!" the Commander yelled. Something Lee had not seen him do for many years. Usually the old man was icy calm in his anger. That, in itself, told Lee how truly angry and frustrated his father was with the situation. With him.

Lee turned away from his father and focused entirely upon the President. "They're totally dependent on us for food, fuel, and they've agreed to organize the workforce for the water detail on the moon." For the gods sake! You'd think she'd be happier. She'd sent him to get a work party and she'd gotten it in spades!

"You've committed me to holding elections within a year," President Roslin stated, her tone telling Lee that she was very displeased with both him and the idea. Hell, she had more in common with his father than she realized. Neither one of them liked giving up a fraction of control for even a moment.

"Madam President, with respect," Lee began carefully, knowing that he couldn't stop until her had his say in this matter. "You're serving out the remainder of President Adarrs term. When that term is up in seven months, the law says theres an election. I only committed you to obeying the law."

"You were not authorized to make a deal!" she argued, not hearing his words.

"You sound like a lawyer!" his father hissed at the same time.

"I swore an oath to defend the articles," Lee said calmly, his eyes moving from the President to his father and then back again. "The articles say theres an election in seven months. Now, if you're telling me we're throwing out the law then I'm not a Captain. You're not a Commander," he stated as he looked straight into his fathers shocked eyes. "And you are not the President," he added, catching her gaze and holding it. "And I don't owe either of you a damned explanation for anything!"

President Roslin looked at him for a long moment and then smiled sardonically. She looked at the Commander and tilted her head. "He's your son."

The Commander looked back at her stonily and said, "He's your advisor."

The President sighed heavily and sat down on the sofa. "An election."

Commander Adama looked at Lee for a long moment and then shook his head slightly. "I guess you finally picked your side. Madame President," he said with a nod and strode out of the room.

xxxxx

Athena snapped to attention as the Commander entered her Raptor and climbed into the co-pilots seat. "Take me back to Galactica, please."

"Yes, sir," she whispered, starting the engines of her bird and radioing to request clearance to leave. When she was cleared, she pulled the Raptor out and began the short jaunt to Galactica. The Commander sat in rigid silence, apparently lost in his own thoughts, and Athena left him to them. From his expression and demeanor, she could only guess that he was not pleased with whatever arrangements Lee had made with the Astral Queen.

Athena landed on the Galactica and opened the door for the Commander to exit. He stopped and looked at her intently, and she nervously looked up to meet his gaze.

"Go back and get Captain Adama from Colonial One," he ordered brusquely, "and make sure he's okay. I think he may be in a lot more pain than hes admitted."

"Yes, sir," she whispered, her relief causing her to let out the breath she'd been holding since he'd risen from his seat. "You can count on me, sir."

He nodded at her, smiled lightly, and left the Raptor without another word. Once he was clear, Athena shut down her bird and ran to the officers quarters. She had a few things to do before she went to get Lee from Colonial One.

xxxxx

Lee finalized the arrangements for the captain and crew of the Astral Queen, and then went back to see the President once more before catching his ride back to Galactica. He knocked on the closed hatch and entered after he heard her respond. He stepped through the hatch to find her already in her robe, prepared for bed.

"I'm sorry. I can come back tomorrow," he apologized, sorry to have disturbed her after she was finished for the night.

"No, its all right. Come on in."

"I just wanted to say goodbye before I head back to Galactica. And to tell you. . . " he stammered slightly, not sure what he had meant to say to her. "I hope you understand. I wasn't being disloyal, Madame President," he added sincerely. He had done what he thought was right. What he _knew_ was right.

"I understand. You're upholding the law. I admire it." She smiled at him and her eyes softened. She obviously recognized that he had done exactly what she'd asked. But there had been repercussions she hadn't expected.

"I believe in you," Lee blurted suddenly, wanting her to know that she had his admiration and respect. That he'd done what he thought was for the best for the fleet as a whole. "In what you're doing. And for what its worth, seven months from now, you'll have my vote."

She looked at him with a strange expression, and he began to back toward the hatch, ready to take his leave. "Could you sit?" she asked suddenly, motioning to a chair across from the couch she used as her bed. "The truth is I might not be here in seven months."

Lee looked at her, not understanding. "Are you planning a vacation?" he asked in jest, trying to lighten things a bit.

"I wish! I told your father that I. . ." she paused for a moment and cleared her throat, as though it were hard for her to get the words out. ". . . had allergies. But I have cancer. I found out the morning of the attack."

Lee exhaled the breath he'd been holding and sat heavily back in the chair where he'd been perched. "I'm so sorry, Madame President. I don't know what to say." That was the truth. Her news, so abruptly delivered, had not only taken his breath away, but also his ability to think. Dying? Laura Roslin? He could hardly believe what he'd just heard.

"I understand. I'm going to fight this, but there is a great need for secrecy," she added intently, her eyes never leaving his. "Only a select few people know about this."

"Of course," he agreed faintly. What could he say? What did you say to people in times like this? He had no idea.

"Whether or not I survive this illness, it is of great importance to me that theres a future for the people. And I fear that knowledge of my illness will erode hope. So this has to stay between you and me," she warned him.

"You can count on me," he agreed with a nod.

"Yes. I know I can," she accepted with a small smile. "You're Captain Apollo."

xxxxx

Athena stood outside her bird, waiting for Lee to appear on the landing bay of Colonial One. When she saw him she was astonished at how broken and sad he looked. He smiled softly at her as he neared, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Strap in," she told him as he sat down beside her. "I'll have you home in no time."

"Thanks."

He sat silent and almost unaware during the short hop back to Galactica, and she knew he needed his space right then. When they landed she took one of his hands in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. He smiled and looked at her gratefully.

"You look like you could use a friend tonight. Go to your office and I'll meet you there," she ordered him quietly, releasing his hand before they exited the ship and came into the view of everyone on the deck. "I want to check your injuries."

He nodded and followed her across the deck. "She's all yours, Chief," Athena called as Galen Tyrol approached, his eyes looking from her to Lee in obvious concern.

"Yes, sir," the Chief replied, his eyes moving to rest upon Lee and holding out his right hand. "Sir. Cally told us what you did, and we're all grateful. She wouldn't be here if it weren't for your quick thinking. Thank you."

Lee nodded and accepted the proffered hand. "How is she doing?"

"She'll be all right in a few weeks," the Chief informed them, saluted sharply, and then went back to work.

"Come on, Lee," Athena urged, knowing that he was just about at the end of his tether. "Let's get you to bed."

"Now thats the best thing I've heard all evening," he said under his breath with his first real smile since she'd picked him up from the Astral Queen. They walked in silence to his office, where Athena opened the hatch and led the way inside. He stopped just inside the hatch and looked around with an expression of amazement before turning to shut and secure the hatch behind them. "When did you have time for this?" he asked, waving a hand at the food and drink set up on his desk and the pillows and blankets made into a bed upon the floor.

"When I dropped your father off earlier he said he thought you might be hurting more than youd admitted. So I pulled a few things together for when you were finished for the night," she admitted with a shrug, not letting on how she had run like a crazy person from the galley for food, to their quarters for the pillows and blankets, and now owed the Chief a heavy debt for the ambrosia. However, to be fair, once he'd discovered the drink was for Lee, he was only too happy to share a portion of his stash.

Athena backed him up against the chair and began unbuckling his pants. "Whoa!" he laughed as she unzipped his zipper and slid his uniform pants down to his knees. "Slow down, lieutenant! I'm not that easy!"

"This is first aide, Captain," she teased, pushing him gently down onto the chair and kneeling in front of him. Her hands began to undo the laces of his boots and she looked up at him intently. "I want to see why you're cradling your ribs."

He sighed heavily and tipped his head back as she pulled off his boots and socks, and then began sliding his pants off his legs. "I suppose it was just too good to be true," he grumbled, still unable to contain his teasing grin.

"Who knows, one day you might actually get lucky," she teased, her fingers making quick work of the rest of his clothes, until he sat before her clad only in his boxer shorts. She sat back on her heels in front of him and clenched her teeth at the sight of the bruising that covered most of his torso. His flesh had already turned a mottled purple and red, and in some areas the skin had been scraped away. There were actually two partial boot prints on his stomach. "Oh, Lee!"

"I'm okay, AJ. Really," he reassured her, his fingers reaching out to wipe away a tear that had begun to slide down her pale cheek. "I'm alive and all of this will heal."

Athena rose to a kneeling position and moved so that she was between his knees, her hands resting lightly upon his thighs. "I'm so sorry I had to leave you there!" she whispered shakily, her eyes still taking in his battered and bruised appearance.

"Hey! No. This all happened well before you left," he stated firmly, reaching out and holding her face in both of his hands. "There was nothing you could do. Nothing. You did the right thing by escaping and going for help."

"I know, I know. But it still hurts to see you like this," she admitted, moving her hands up to make sure his ribs were still intact. He sucked in a sharp breath of pain as she pushed and prodded around his rib cage, but Athena found nothing broken. "Maybe a cracked rib or two, but for sure a bunch of bruised ribs. Theres no way to tell positively without having the doctor do a scan on you. Do you want me to wrap your ribs?"

"No. I don't think it'll help," he admitted, his eyes closed tightly beneath her questing fingers. He was torn between the pleasure of having her touch him, and the pain her fingers caused as she tried to determine the extent of his injuries.

"Are you hungry?" she asked, letting her hands move up to continue their exploration at his face, making sure he didn't need stitches.

"Not for food," he stated baldly, his eyes delving into hers and his mouth twisting into an honest grin. His hands reached out to caress her face in much the same manner she had done on his. There was no way she could fail to understand his meaning.

"Lee, I. . . "

"I know. I'm sorry. I spoke without thinking," he apologized with a contrite look he didn't really feel. "We don't have that kind of. . . friendship."

Athena sighed heavily, never finding it so difficult to hold her tongue as it was at that particular moment. She wanted so badly to confess to him that she was Athena and to make love with him once more. She found that she wanted him with every fiber of her being, regardless of what she'd been telling herself for the past few weeks. He was so much that she admired and respected in a man, and even his faults only made him seem more human and desirable in her eyes. Her body ached with a need that she had never before experienced, but she was afraid to do something that would destroy their fledgling friendship. "Oh, gods, I wish. . . I just don't think I'm ready to take that particular step. Not yet."

"Not _yet_?" he inquired with uplifted eyebrows, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Thats a good word. . . _yet_."

"Only the gods know what will happen in the future," she added sagely, smiling at him as she moved over to pull the covers back on the makeshift bed she had put together for them. "And, in the meantime, you need to get some rest. I'm sure its been a hell of a day for you."

"Gladly," he agreed with a moan of pain as he stiffly crawled from the chair to the bedding on the floor. "Will you stay with me?" he asked almost hesitantly, his eyes looking at hers with uncertainty. "Just to sleep?"

"If you want me here, I'll stay," she promised in a whisper as she helped him lay back. His eyes darkened with the pain in his ribs as he lay back, holding onto one of her hands as if he were afraid she would run away. "Just to sleep."

xxxxx

Lee lay contentedly with AJ in his arms. His ribs were on fire, his head ached, his father was furious with himand he was feeling happier than he could remember being in years. That AJ had gone to all the trouble to get them a meal and a bed meant a lot. But what had broken down all his emotional barriers was how she had looked at his injuries, a shared pain showing plainly in her eyes, and how she'd so tenderly ministered to him. At that moment, even with the words not crossing their lips, he knew that their friendship had passed a barrier into something much deeper.

Their friendship in itself was a blessing Lee had never expected to experience. He'd always had a hard time connecting with women on an emotional level. He had been attracted to a number of women through the years, and they certainly seemed to like him. . . but nothing had ever happened that made him feel comfortable and relaxed with them. Perhaps he'd been afraid to trust that it was _him_ they cared about, and not the great Commander Adamas son. Or, even if they didn't know who his father was, many women were drawn to the uniform, especially a pilots, regardless of the quality of man who wore it. So his relationships had been superficial, at best.

Whatever the reason, he felt differently with AJ. She was smart, logical, loaded with common sense, and beautiful on top of it all. Add to that the fact that when she looked at him her eyes. . . Her eyes shone with real affection and sincerity. It was almost as if he could see her very soul through her dark eyes.

"What are you thinking?" the woman in his thoughts asked sleepily, her body moving away from his as she arched into a full body stretch.

"You. Our friendship. How to get out of the doghouse with my father," he added, realizing what had been preying at the edge of his mind.

"What, in particular, is he angry about?" she asked as she rose and moved to the desk that held the food she'd gathered. When he didn't answer but only watched her, she stopped and stared at him with mock severity. "Talk!"

Lee told her, in detail, what had occurred on the Astral Queen, ending with the promise he'd made Tom Zarek as well as his fathers and the Presidents reactions to it. "Apparently," he added with more than a little sarcasm, "I've chosen sides. . . and it wasn't my father's."

"I see," she mused thoughtfully, biting the inside of her mouth as she uncovered the food and made sandwiches. "Thinking back on ways that my parents reacted to some of my decisions, I realize now that it must be hard to see your child grow up. To see your child make decisions, good or bad, in which they have no input."

Lee pulled the extra chair up to the desk opposite her and sat down. She placed a sandwich and a glass of water in front of him. "That could be part of it. I also think that my father is so used to people agreeing with him and doing what he wants without question, that he gets angry and frustrated when I stand up to him and express differing opinions."

"Yes. I can see that," she agreed, nodding as she bit into her sandwich. They sat in silence for a few minutes, AJs brow pursed in thought as she hungrily polished off her food. "You aren't afraid or in awe of him like so many of the crew appear to be. Your father is a proud man, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, and hes been an officer, therefore in charge, for a long time. Plus, I can see that you share his stubbornness, which adds even more tension into the mix. However, all that being said, he loves you. Today, despite his obvious anger, he was worried about you."

Lee nodded, knowing in his heart that the old man did love him. It was just that neither one of them were very good at showing it. "The funny thing is, the President's anger was harder for me to deal with than my own fathers. Her words made me realize that she thought I'd let her down, perhaps even betrayed her."

"She's dealing with a lot right now," AJ replied sadly. "Much more than just this incident."

"What do you mean?" Lee asked curiously. Was it possible that AJ knew about the Presidents illness? They did appear to know each other on a personal basis, so it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility that the President had told AJ, as well.

"She's. . . I won't break a confidence, but she needs our support. Now and. . . in the future."

Lee frowned, wondering how to proceed. "Okay. I think we're both privy to this same secret, but how do we find out without saying more to each other than we should?"

AJ frowned and sat quietly. Lee swore he could almost feel the wheels turning in her head. "I have known Laura Roslin for almost ten years. On the morning before the initial Cylon attack she received some very bad news."

"Yes," he agreed, nodding at her words.

"On the way to Galactica for the ceremony, I discovered her throwing up in the head on Colonial One. I think the fact that she knew my deepest secret, made her feel comfortable sharing hers with me," she informed him thoughtfully. "And the fact that we were family friends."

Lees mind jumped to the fact that AJ had a deepest secret, until he forced those thoughts aside and got back to the conversation at hand. "She told me she was ill."

"Yes."

What the hell, Lee thought with a shake of his head. Enough dancing around! He trusted AJ more than anyone else in the fleet, and he was almost certain that President Roslin had already told her about her illness. "She believes she is dying."

"Yes. Her cancer is apparently quite advanced," AJ added with a sigh of relief that they both knew what was happening with the President.

"When she told me, I felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me," he admitted sadly, remembering how bereft he had felt at hearing her words. "Is there anyone else you can even picture as the President? I know of no one I would even consider for the job. No one at all."

AJ cleaned up the remains of their meal and walked over behind him. She placed her hands on his bare shoulders and began gently massaging his tension away. "She has nobody except us, and perhaps Billy. All we can do is be there for her when she needs us."

AJs hands worked magic upon his body and he began to grow sleepy. His ribs still hurt, but the ache in his head was subsiding and his mind was more at peace. It was wonderful to have someone you could share the tough things with. The process of sharing something made the burden that much less to bear.

She leaned down and kissed the top of his head. "Lets get some sleep," she suggested, taking his hand and leading him back to the pallet of blankets and pillows. "Who knows what tomorrow has in store for us."

Lee silently agreed, lying down gingerly upon the padded floor. Gods knew he needed a good nights sleep. He was bone tired. AJ snuggled against him and lay so that her body only lightly pressed against his battered and bruised one.

"I could get used to this," she murmured into his neck, her breath warm on his skin.

Lee smiled and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead, appreciating her presence during a time like this. "Me, too. Me, too."


	7. Chapter 7

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Chapter Seven

Role Reversals

Athena woke to the beeping of her watch alarm and found Lee completely awake, watching her. Laying before her was a mixture of playful boy and dangerous man, and he made her heart race with nothing more than a look. His right eyebrow was covered with a butterfly bandage and his left cheek was swollen and scraped. His hair was flat in places and sticking out in others, and he looked so sexy she found herself catching and holding her breath. "How long have you been awake?"

"Not long. Did I thank you for taking care of me?"

"Not in so many words," she stated bluntly, sitting up and stretching. Two nights of sleeping on a hard floor was not to be recommended, she thought as she tried to work out the worst of the aches.

"Thank you."

"It was my pleasure. Lee, can I tell you something? Something personal?" she asked suddenly, voicing a thought she'd had in the night. He had shared personal, important things with her on two separate instances, and she realized she had told him nothing about herself. She had realized as she lay there in the dark that she wanted to tell him about her family situation. Of all people, she thought he would be the most likely to understand her particular situation. So, she had decided that it was long past time for her to tell the rest of her story to Lee. They might not have any private moments in the days to come, and there was no time like the present.

"Of course." He looked at her questioningly, his eyebrows uplifted slightly.

"I want you to know how I came to be in President Adarr's detail," she began hesitantly, finking that speaking the words out loud was much harder than she'd imagined. She kept this particular secret for so long. "President Adarr was my biological father."

"Your father?" he parroted in amazement, apparently not having expected to hear those particular words.

"Yes. I'm thinking thats probably why I understand your issues with your dad so well," she admitted, having thought about the similarity they shared in having powerful, dynamic fathers. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but. . . its just not something I talk about. Now only you and President Roslin know the truth."

"President Roslin?" he repeated, openly gaping at her. "That must have been one eventful visit in Colonial One's head!"

Athena chuckled lightly, finding his incredulous look to be extremely funny. "No. I told you I've known Laura for years. I actually met her first when I was sixteen and have come to know her quite well since then. She and my father were long-term lovers even back then, and the day I first met him, I met her, as well."

"Hmm," Lee voiced thoughtfully, mentally revising his view of the President. "Thank you for telling me. It explains why you were where you were; but you know what? In the scheme of things it really doesn't make any difference who your father was. Right now it only matters that you're a damn fine pilot, a good officer, and my friend."

Athena smiled to herself, thinking that things couldn't get much better than that.

Athena's day lost its glow pretty quickly. She had duty on the flight deck, and her particular assignment was to inventory and prepare a supply list for Chief Tyrol. Since Athena knew both Vipers and Raptors inside and out, she knew she was a good choice for this particular task. Throughout her youth, her stepfather had taught her to appreciate and respect machinery of all kinds, also instilling in her the knowledge that what you put into a piece of equipment insured you got out of it what you needed, when you needed it. As a result, she was an above average mechanic, especially when it came to flying machines, and Vipers in particular.

She walked into the parts room only to stop in surprise when she found Sharon slumped over a worktable. She wasn't working; she was just sitting with her hands on her lap.

"Sharon?" Athena said softly, stepping over to the other woman. She looked up at Athena with a damp face and tear-reddened eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Everything," the other woman replied huskily, barely even looking up. "What are you doing here?"

"Its my deck shift, and I'm to inventory the room for Galen." At the mention of the Chiefs name, Sharons eyes filled immediately, and she laid her head back on her arms. "Is there anything I can do for you? Or maybe help somehow?"

"Unless you can influence Colonel Tigh in some way, theres nothing you or anyone else can do," she replied, a hint of anger filling her voice. "He searched me out yesterday and told me that I had to break it off with the Chief! That I was his superior officer and it was against regulations for the two of us to be together."

"You and Chief Tyrol?" Athena breathed in surprise, wondering how she'd missed the scuttlebutt on that one. She had not had any idea that there was something beyond the norm between the two of them. "Wow. I had no idea you two were a thing."

"Yeah, well. . . you were probably the only one who didn't," she stated with a sad shake of her head. "We've been lovers for the past two years and no one said a frakking word the entire time. But I gather that with Galactica officially in a combat situation, the fraternization regulations are to be enforced again."

"I'm so sorry, Sharon. Truly sorry," she said feeling more than a bit selfish at the turn of her thoughts. After hearing what had happened to Sharon and Galen, she found herself wondering if the same thing could happen to her and Lee if they were to alter the direction of their relationship.

"It.s not your fault. Honestly, I think Tigh was just feeling spiteful and I was the one he decided to take it out on," she said in a spiteful, angry tone of her own. "Since hes been off the bottle hes been frakking horrible to be around. I liked him better when he was a drunk!"

Athena smiled despite herself and filed away the bit of information on Colonel Tigh. She had not had the opportunity to be around him much since she answered directly to Lee or Starbuck when Lee wasn't available. However, in the weeks she had been on the ship she had not heard a single positive thing about the man. Not one.

"Sharon? Do you want to help me inventory? Itd be nice to have the company, and it might help you to get your mind off things you can't do anything about anyway," she added, thinking that it might be nice to have the time to actually get to know the other woman better. There had been very little time for developing friendships since she had arrived on the Galactica, and what personal time she had, she had been doing her best to integrate into the Galacticas routine.

"Yeah. Yeah, that would be nice. And why is it you don't call me Boomer, like the rest of the pilots? Come to think of it, I don't think I've heard you use anyones call sign since you've been here," Sharon mused, reaching up on the wall and removing a clipboard that held inventory sheets.

"I don't know," Athena admitted, taking a moment to think about it. "I guess I think that the military takes away so much of what we are, that I hate the thought of giving up our names. We're not men or women, we're pilots. We're not individuals, we're part of a squadron. So, in my own little way its my way of retaining something no one should be able to take away. Our names. Weird, huh?" she added with a sheepish grin.

"A little, but I kind of understand what you mean. You pull the parts and I'll write?"

Athena smiled at the other woman and went to work. Between the two of them it took almost five hours to locate, count and list the parts in the storeroom. If Athena had been doing it all alone, it would've taken her at least twice that. But, after having been deployed on the Galactica since becoming a Raptor pilot, Sharon knew where almost everything could be found, and her directions helped Athena to navigate quickly and easily around the room. By the end of the task, Athena knew that she would have no problem finding what she, or anyone else, needed in this particular parts room.

"Thanks for your help," Athena said to a much calmer Sharon than the one she'd discovered upon entering the room hours earlier. Her tears had long ago dried and she appeared ready to go out and face the world once more.

"No problem. And thanks for letting me blubber for a while. I guess I needed someone to vent at and get it all out of my system," Sharon added as she stood up, pulled her shoulders back, and walked out the door.

Athena gathered her paperwork and headed out to find Galen. He would be pleased at the extent of the inventory, but there were several important parts they would no doubt need in the coming months. His part of the job would be to requisition the parts from the fleet and then begin scrounging around to see what he could locate on his own.

A group of laughing and singing pilots drew her attention, and she stopped near the group to see what was going on. Flattop was being pushed around in a mechanics tool cart, and the other pilots were singing a chant of some kind. As she listened to the words their significance became clear to her. Apparently Flattop had just completed his thousandth landing. . . an important number for any pilot. . . and his buddies were sharing in the celebration.

Athena smiled as she watched, wondering when her thousandth landing had come and gone. Her time in the Presidential Detail had pulled her out of the mainstream and isolated her to some degree from other pilots and the common milestones they celebrated. Come to think of it, she decided that she was probably well over two thousand or more by this point if she combined both Raptor and Viper flights. When she was ferrying her father around in the course of his duties, it wasn't unusual to take off and land a dozen or more times a day.

A hissing noise pulled her out of her thoughts, and an object she couldn't identify in the amount of time she had, passed by her within a foot or so. She felt the heat of whatever it had been, but before her brain could process the information, the concussion wave from an explosion threw her off her feet backward over a large toolbox and a pile of metal parts. She felt herself hit the ground; her breath knocked entirely from her body, and then screamed as a large shape teetered over her and fell directly upon her. The fiery pain that lanced through her left shoulder and arm was only momentary, as she lapsed into unconsciousness.

xxxxx

Lee was immersed in what had turned out to be a pleasant, uncomplicated day. Waking up with AJ had started things off right, and then his workload was on the light side for the first time since he'd become CAG. Then he and Starbuck had met in one of the locker rooms to prepare a helmet for Flattops thousandth landing. His father had joined them, acting more cheerful than Lee had seen him in a very long time. As the three of them rushed down the companionway leading to the landing bay, Lee listened with pleasure as Starbuck told the story of his fathers thousandth landing. It amazed Lee to see his father looking more than a bit embarrassed at his own pranks being retold in his presence.

Their laughter was interrupted by the sound of a large explosion, followed by the blaring of fire and security alarms. He and Starbuck looked at each other in alarm and took off running for the landing bay, where the explosion had apparently occurred. Through the haze of his mind he could hear the request for Aide Teams to report to the landing bay, and fear lodged in his throat.

AJ was scheduled to work on the deck that morning and she should still have been there. Gods! He prayed silently as he turned the final corner into the service deck. Please let her be safe! Lee arrived a the deck with Starbuck hard on his heels and the Commander close behind, and stopped so suddenly that Starbuck ran into him from behind.

"Frak, Lee!" she swore, holding on to him to keep from falling over. Lee gaped at the sight before his eyes, appalled despite all the casualties he'd seen in his military career. "Oh, Frak," Starbuck muttered again, holding a hand up to her mouth at the sight of the blood, gore, and mangled bodies in front of them.

"Let.s do what we can," Lee said, striding in to do whatever he could for the injured. He moved from person to person, searching for AJ the entire time he checked for life signs and either helped as he could, or moved on to the next person still living.

"Lee!" his father called, kneeling next to a body almost entirely covered by a piece of heavy sheet metal. "I need you!" Lee darted over and knelt beside his father, who looked up at him anxiously. "It.s Lt. Darr, but she.s alive."

"Gods!" Lee breathed, feeling that the worst of his nightmares had come true. He and his father placed themselves on opposite sides of the metal sheet and lifted. It was all Lee could do to hold up his end and he could see his fathers muscles straining. They dropped it a safe distance away from AJ and Lee sank to his knees beside her. "AJ!" he called, reaching out to feel her neck for a pulse and thankfully finding a strong one. "Come on, sweetheart!"

"Lee!" Starbuck called from nearby. "I need your help!"

His father knelt beside AJ and placed his bare hands over a rapidly bleeding gash that went from the shoulder to just above the elbow, and began to apply much needed pressure. "I have her, son. You need to go help Starbuck."

"I. . ." Lee began to protest.

"Lee. I'd go instead, but you're stronger than I am," his father said in a kind but firm voice that brooked no disobedience. "I can handle this. You're needed elsewhere. Do your duty! I'll take care of AJ."

Lee took one last look at the unconscious AJ, nodded at his father, and left the woman who had quickly become of such importance to him. Lee spent endless minutes applying tourniquets, slapping on pressure bandages, and trying to do whatever good he could. Chief Tyrol was running around like a maniac, doing the work of two men, his face grim and determined. Lee watched as an Aide team placed AJ on a stretcher and carried her away. The Commander shot Lee a reassuring look and hurried off beside her stretcher, presumably following through on his promise and going with her to the Medical Unit.

By the time Lee was finished they had accounted for all the various parts of thirteen pilots, and sent another seven pilots and mechanics to the Medical Unit with varying degrees of injuries. Flattop, who had been celebrating his thousandth landing, was one of the dead, along with most of his friends. The impact of the losses was just beginning to sink in as he looked at the bodies still laid out on the deck floor. All of the dead were pilots. His pilots, whom he hadn't had enough of even before this travesty.

"What happened?" he asked Chief Tyrol, who was standing next to a security officer.

She answered instead of the Chief. "We don't have sufficient information yet, sir. All we know is that a communications drone activated and flew into our people. How and why have not yet been determined. You can be sure I'll have a report for you and the Commander at the earliest possible moment."

"Thank you." Lee looked at the Chief. "I'll be in the Medical Unit if I'm needed."

"Yes, sir," Tyrol replied, his voice as dead as his expression.

Lee turned and hurried away from the carnage and toward the woman he was coming to love.

xxxxx

Athena woke to find Commander Adama leaning over her, his warm hand resting lightly upon her shoulder. "Easy now, AJ. You're in the Medical Unit. You're going to be all right," he told her in what she could only call a kind, concerned voice.

She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to remember what had happened. There had been an explosion that knocked her off her feet, a lot of pain, and then things became fuzzy. She could remember hearing Lee's voice, and the Commander's, but her recollection did not go beyond that little bit.

"What happened?"

"There was an explosion on the flight deck and you were caught by the edge of it," he explained, patting her hand comfortingly. "You have one hell of a gash on your left arm and you lost a bit of blood, but you're going to be fine."

"Lee? I remember hearing his voice."

"He wasn't involved in the accident, but he had to stay and take care of the situation. I'm certain he'll be here just as soon as he can get away."

"Sir. You stayed with me?" she asked quietly, looking up at him with gratitude. He really didn't know her that well, and she supposed she was going to be a bit of a complication for him in his position as Commander, though he didn't know it yet.

"Of course I did, AJ. You seem to be very important to my son and, therefore, very important to me," he told her with a smile. His eyes watched her curiously, as though he were wondering how and why she was so important to Lee.

Athena looked around the room and saw that six other beds were occupied, and all of them looked to be in much worse shape than she was. "Casualties?" she asked softly, her eyes not leaving the injured.

"Thirteen dead. Seven, including you, injured," he reported gravely, reaching out to take the hand of her uninjured arm in a reassuring manner. "It could have been much worse."

"Sir. Thank you for staying with me," she said softly, wondering what he was thinking about her relationship with his son. She had been trying so hard to keep their relationship casual and had still ended up staying two nights alone with him!

"AJ!" Lee called out as he entered the Medical Unit and hurried over to her bed. He leaned over her and stroked her hair with a hand that trembled, his blue eyes worried.

"She's going to be fine, son," Commander Adama told him, rising and moving to the head of the bed and pulling a curtain around them to give them some degree of privacy. "The doctor said she could leave as soon as shes able to stand on her own. He sutured the gash on her arm, gave her a large dose of antibiotics, as well as a pint of blood. She has bruising along her torso from the piece of sheet metal that landed on her, but nothing life threatening. No internal injuries. All in all, she was very lucky."

"Yes," Lee agreed, glancing over at his father in obvious gratitude, before looking back at Athena. "Thank you for staying with her, sir. I didn't want her to be alone."

"My pleasure," the Commander accepted sincerely, smiling down at Athena. "I look forward to getting to know this young lady better in the future, under better circumstances. Lee, come by my quarters when you get a free moment. We'll go over the report and then you can take the rest of the night off to help AJ get settled back in her quarters."

"Thank you, sir."

"Rest easy, AJ," the Commander ordered her with a tiny nod and a pat on her arm. "I'm sure the CAG will see to it you have light duty until the doctor releases you to fly."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," she whispered, beginning to feel more than a little uncomfortable with both sets of blue Adama eyes watching her so intently. What in the universe did the Commander think of her?

Commander Adama nodded at them both and then stepped through the privacy curtain, leaving them alone. Lee looked at her in amazement, his surprise at his fathers casual and warm demeanor apparent. Then, as he looked down at her she saw his eyes begin to fill. He sunk into the chair his father had vacated until his forehead rested on her uninjured arm. When he finally spoke his voice was shaky and thick with emotion. "Gods, AJ! I was sure you were dead!"

She turned her hand and tenderly stroked her fingers along the side of his face, touched beyond belief by his open and emotional concern. "I'm okay, Lee. Really. I'm going to be fine."

He sighed and let the tension flow from his body before pulling himself upright, his shoulders erect and determined. "Let me see when the doctor will spring you. Then I'll go see the old man and get you back to your rack."

"What do you suppose he wants?" Athena asked hesitantly, hoping that it would have nothing to do with her and their friendship.

"At first guess, I'd say to make funeral arrangements. Then to decide what to do to replace the loss of thirteen pilots," he told her with a sorrowful shake of his head.

"Gods," she responded with a heavy sigh of her own. "Go do your duty and then come get me out of this gruesome Med Unit!"

He blew her a kiss and then disappeared behind the curtain, leaving her alone with her thoughts, as well as her aches and pains. Whatever pain medication had been given her for her arm was beginning to wear off and she suspected it was going to be a long, painful night. She closed her eyes and tried to block out the rest of the world.

xxxxx

"Sir, you asked me to report?" Lee said as he entered his fathers quarters. His father was sitting at his desk, his pen tapping idly upon a stack of papers.

"Yes. Please sit. I've been going over our pilot situation and things are not looking good," the Commander told him, a frown of concern twisting his brow. "We now have forty Vipers and less than thirty pilots. Not enough to field a CAP, and gods forbid a major Cylon force attacks us. What are your thoughts?"

"We need more pilots. . . so we train more pilots," he added with a shrug. He had been thinking along those lines since he had discovered that most of the dead were his pilots. "In a fleet of over fifty-thousand there must be men and women who are already pilots, even if they don't have military or combat experience. We'll have to find them and train them for combat. There is no other option."

"I agree. Last week I had Billy forward me information garnered in the census on who could fly and their backgrounds. I have files on twelve men and women for you to review. Our choices are limited so don't be too critical of what you find. After these first twelve, the rest are commercial pilots who are¼ on the high side and beyond the ideal age range for fighter pilots."

Lee took the files that his father pushed his way, determined to read them that night. "Might I suggest Starbuck as training officer? She did the job in the academy, plus she knows more about flying Vipers than we'll ever know," he added with a smile. Starbuck might be one petite package of attitude, but there was no doubt in anyones mind she was their best pilot. And their best option to train new nuggets about combat.

"Agreed. I'll give her the news."

"She won't like it," Lee warned.

"I know. But she'll do it."

"Yes, sir," Lee agreed, knowing that Starbuck would do anything his father asked of her. The bond between the two of them was strong, to say the least. At times Lee found himself wondering if Kara Thrace was what his father had always been looking for in his own two offspring. "I need to go and address the rest of the pilots, too. I'm sure they're waiting in the Ready Room for news."

"Good idea. Also, on a personal note, I asked one of the maintenance crew to put a rack in your office. Its time you got out of the senior officers quarters," his father advised him with a small conspiratorial smile. "I also have Lt. Gaeta checking around to see if there are quarters available that have a head. You are the third highest ranking officer on the Galactica, after all."

"Thank you, sir," Lee accepted gratefully, wondering at his fathers sudden thoughtfulness.

"Its time you got a few of the benefits usually provided to the CAG," the Commander stated sincerely. "Also, I have been running a few things through my head about possible changes we may need to make to the crew regulations regarding fraternizing and relationships. Things have changed now, and I can't help but believe that strong personal relationships will only strengthen the fleet."

Lee caught his breath, trying to read what his father was saying between the lines. Was he telling Lee, in his usual cryptic manner, that he approved of Athena and Lees rather obvious feelings for her? "I have to agree, sir. I. . . We. . . Command has to look at the long-term impact of such strict segregation in terms of relationships. What if we're still searching the galaxy for Earth five years from now? Or ten? At what point do we begin thinking about making sure our race survives?"

"My thoughts exactly, Captain. Now, get your work done and go get your pilot back to her quarters. Shes going to be hurting tonight. Dismissed."

Lee snapped a salute at his father and left the quarters, pleased that they had had an entire conversation without a single argument or disagreement. Perhaps there was hope for their relationship, after all. He made his way to the Ready Room and briefed the remainder of the squadron, not remembering what he said the moment he left the room. His father had entered the room a few minutes after he had begun the briefing, and had given the crew a much better speech than Lee himself would have been able to come up with. Lee was grateful for his intervention. He just wanted the briefing over so he could get to AJ.

After the remainder of the squadron had begun to file out Lee saw the Commander pull Starbuck aside and whisper a few words in her ear. She looked at Lee with upraised eyebrows, nodded at the Commander, and left the room. Lee stood and waited as his father approached him. "I hope I haven't overstepped into an area that is personal, but I asked Starbuck to get AJ and take her to the officers quarters. After you left I realized it might be better for you not to draw any unwanted attention to her at this point in time," he added gruffly, squeezed Lees arm and left the room.

Lee was sorry not to be the one to spring AJ from the Medical Unit, but he had to agree with his father that it was for the best. Though it was an entirely odd feeling to have his father so involved in such a personal area of his life. He tucked his stack of paperwork under one arm and headed for the senior pilots quarters to await AJ's arrival. He'd move into his new office quarters tomorrow.

xxxxx

Athena heard Starbuck's voice before she ever saw her. "All right, people, no malingering! Get some rest, get well, and get back to work!" she added stridently before pulling the curtain that still shielded Athena aside and walking up to the bed. "Lets get the hell out of here," she suggested with a grin.

Athena was only too happy to leave, but was more than a bit surprised to have someone other than Lee come for her. He'd said he'd come get her. However, she sat up and lowered her feet to the floor without protest. She was still dressed in her uniform pants, but was naked from the waist up underneath a short cotton robe. "Got a shirt to spare?"

Starbuck let out a belabored sigh and pulled off her uniform shirt, and then her tank, leaving only a snug racer back bra on. She tossed Athena the tank and then pulled her uniform back on, buttoning the buttons with practiced speed. Athena pulled the tank gingerly over her bandages and then over her other arm, until she was decently covered. She had to assume that her shirts had been destroyed by a combination of the explosion and the medical treatment she'd received. Gods! She hoped the Commander wasn't there when they'd cut her shirts off of her!

"Quit daydreaming and move your ass," Starbuck growled good-naturedly as she held out an arm for Athena to hold. "I have no doubt you-know-who is waiting not so patiently as we speak."

"I thought he'd come for me," Athena admitted, taking the proffered arm to steady herself as she placed her full weight on what were proving to be unsteady legs. She was lightheaded and shaky, but she thought she'd be able to make it as far as the officers quarters.

"The old man thought it was best for me to do the honors. He wanted to spare you any talk among the crew. These yours?" she asked, picking up an envelope of pills on the table next to the bed. At Athenas nod Starbuck tucked them in Athenas pants pocket and led her out of the overcrowded Medical Unit. "Anyway, you and I both know that talk is inevitable when a bunch of people live in others pockets on a slip like this, but the less conspicuous the better."

"The Commander doesn't think there's anything between Lee and I, does he?" They headed down the corridor that led to the officers quarters, Athena leaning heavily on her friend.

"Who the hell knows what the old man thinks," Starbuck teased, a wide grin covering her face. "But. . . _I_ think theres something going on between the two of you, so why should the Commander be any different."

"Kara! We. Are. Just. Friends," Athena stated with emphasis. "I don't know what may happen in the future, but right now we are truly just friends."

"Whatever you say, Lieutenant," Starbuck drawled, her hand clenched on Athenas elbow as she stumbled and almost fell. "Take it easy! I promised to deliver you in one piece."

Athena was relieved when they finally make it through the hatch and into their quarters. Her legs could barely hold her and she wondered if she would even be able to make it to her bunk. But Lee was waiting just inside the bulkhead and rushed over to put a supporting arm around her waist and support her the final steps.

Kara stepped back and let Lee take over. "Special delivery, Captain Adama, sir!"

"I can't thank you enough, Kara," he told her as he helped Athena sit down on the side of the bun and began undoing her pants. "Are you okay?"

"I'll live," Athena said tiredly, glad to be off her feet, but looking at the other pilots in the room anxiously. She weakly pushed Lees hand away from her pants and finished the job herself, feeling uncomfortable that they had such an audience and Lee was acting like he undressed her all the time! However, her legs were twitchy and shaking, the pain in her arm had grown to a momentous throbbing, and she was only too glad to finally be in her own bunk, so she let him tug her pants off and pull the blanket back for her. "Thank you, sir. And thank you, Kara," she added, smiling over at her friend who stood watching them with amusement.

"My pleasure. If you need something, be sure to give a yell."

"I will," Athena replied as she lay back on the pillow and let out a deep breath.

"Goodnight," Starbuck said, shooting the other watching pilots pointed looks. They rose almost in unison and silently followed her out the hatchway, closing the hatch behind them.

"Gods!" Lee whispered, sitting beside her on the edge of the bunk. He reached out and pushed her hair back from the side of her face, his eyes never leaving hers. "I was worried about you."

"I'll be all right, Lee. Really," she assured him tiredly. "I just need some sleep and a pain pill. Hand me my pants again." When she had had dirty uniform pants in her hand she pulled the small envelope out of the pocket and held them up. "Got any water handy?"

Lee jumped and poured her a glass out of a liter bottle, and gave her two of the pills to go with it. After she had chugged the entire glass, not having realized she was so thirsty, he put the glass back on the table in the center of the room.

"A bit of a role reversal tonight?" she teased with a smile, feeling relieved when he smiled back at her. He needed to loosen up a bit. She wasn't going to die on him. And it was kind of funny, in an ironic sort of way, that he was undressing her injured body tonight, when she had done the same for him just the night before. "How are your ribs? You didn't hurt anything this afternoon did you?"

"They still hurt some, but I imagine its nothing like what you're feeling now," he informed her, shaking out her pants and hanging them in her locker. He came back and covered her with the light blanket, tucking in the sides. "I wish I could hold you when you're hurting," he commented softly with a small grin. "Like you did for me."

"Yeah, well, I don't think that'd be such a good idea, Captain Adama," she replied with a smile, willing her muscles to relax. Everything hurt, and she couldn't wait for the pills to kick in.

"Will it be okay if I keep the light on for awhile? I have reports I need to get done tonight, and I don't want to leave you to do them in my office," he admitted, kneeling in front of the bunk and reaching out to stroke the side of her face.

"No problem. Once the drugs kick in I wouldn't know if I were asleep in the corridor!" she laughed. "Besides, I don't want to be alone right now. I'd like for you to stay."

"I won't go anywhere AJ. I promise. I'll be right here if you need me."

"Thanks," she sighed, seeing a kaleidoscope of color before her eyes as the drugs hit her system. "Whoa. . . good drugs. Lee?"

"Hmm?"

"Would you kiss me?" She wasn't sure what had brought those words to her lips, but suddenly his kiss was what she wanted more than anything else at that particular moment.

"Umm. . . gladly." He leaned over her and slowly lowered his face to hers. His lips were warm and firm as they pressed lightly against hers.

"More," she breathed into him, her eyes shutting as the pleasure surged through her. "Please!"

His mouth moved gently against hers and his tongue darted out to part her lips. Athena gave into the moment, loving the way the pleasure drowned out the pain. When he pulled away she licked her lips, savoring the taste of him. "Nice. Very nice," she murmured, scarcely noticing the slurring of her voice. "But I'm greedy. I want more than a kiss. "

He sighed heavily, a huge grin filling his face as he rose to his feet. "Go to sleep, AJ."

She _was_ tired. "Kay." And she slept.


	8. Chapter 8

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Chapter Eight

The Pain of Discovery

DAY FIFTEEN

The funeral held the following morning was more difficult than most. And it wasn't made any easier by the fact that it was the second such service to be held in just over two weeks. Lee had risen early, leaving AJ sleeping soundly in the rack just below his. He had heard her tossing and turning most of the night, so he was relieved to finally see her sleeping so well. He had raided the mess hall for some breakfast and brought it back to their quarters. AJ was bound to be hungry when she awoke, and he was certainly ravenous.

He wasn't sure why he was acting so openly concerned about her condition, and several of the pilots had looked at his in speculation. AJ truly wasn't what he would normally consider his type. He had spent most of his life avoiding female pilots and had gravitated to the more feminine, softer women who were not in the military. But there was just something about AJ that made him want to take care of her. She was an adept and conscientious pilot, but she also had a softer side. And there was also the fact that she had made it a point to be there for him when he needed someone, so how could he do less for her? He thought about it and decided it was the way she listened to him when he spoke that particularly made him admire her. She cared what people, not just him, had to say and it made her easy to talk to.

He had to browbeat her into eating a few bites of her meal after she woke, and then awkwardly helped her into her dress uniform. Lee would have gladly passed that task off to Kara, but she had dressed and disappeared over an hour earlier. AJ was stiff and sore and shaky on her feet, and he wasn't sure she could've handled even that small task on her own.

At a few minutes before 1100 hours they made their way to the forward hanger deck where the thirteen bodies were laid out for the ceremony. Lee stood on one end of the front row with Kara beside him and AJ on Karas other side. He kept a subtle watch over her, noticing that she was not quite steady on her feet. At the same time he observed that Kara looked stonily ahead, her eyes unfocused and far away. He could only imagine that she was remembering yet another funeral they had attended... Zaks.

They stood at attention as the priest, Elosha, spoke the words he had heard all too many times lately. He watched the flag of the Twelve Colonies as it was folded in standard military fashion, before he moved to the bodies of men and women he had only known for a short time. Lee placed their pilots wings upon each covered body, honoring their passing. Finally, his father placed the flag on the body closest to the hull door. As she stepped back into his place in line, Elosha intoned, "So say we all."

Lee was going to ask Kara to take AJ back to the officers quarters, but no sooner were the final words spoken than she spun on a heel and hurried out of the hanger deck. He caught up with her in the Ready Room, after having walked AJ back to their quarters and helping her back to bed after taking two pain pills.

"Starbuck, wait up a moment," Lee called as he walked into the Ready Room only to see her leaving through the opposite door.

"What?"

Great. It was going to be one of those conversations. She knew what was coming and she was doing her best to avoid the job ahead of her. He handed her the very brief files. "I need you to take the files on your new nuggets."

She scanned all twelve of them, one by one and then looked up at his incredulously. "Boonie jumpers, shuttle jockeys, and a fleet academy washout," she stated in obvious horror at the group she would be expected to train.

"Diamonds in the rough," he teased, knowing they were the best the fleet had to offer at this particular point in time. The next group of six that his father had shown him were working on basic flight refresher, beginning that same day. The third and final group were those who wanted to be pilots, were willing to enlist, but had never even seen the inside of a cockpit.

"Yeah, right."

"They're the most qualified pilots in the fleet," he told her flatly. There was no frakking choice here! This was what they had to work with. He found himself more than a little bit aggravated at her piss-poor attitude. The fact that they had lost thirteen experienced pilots and had to replace them with twelve barely adequate pilots was not something he wanted to think about either, but he had no choice. None of them had any choice. It simply was. "Can you do this?" he asked bluntly, beginning to wonder if she was up to the task.

"Of course I can!" She looked at him with an offended expression. "But that doesn't mean I want to. Lee. . . I keep thinking about Zak. I didn't do my job, and he died. I'm the one responsible for his death!"

"Perhaps," Lee replied with a shrug, acknowledging her feelings of guilt in a matter-of-fact manner. "However, I think theres enough blame for us all to spread around. The old man pushed Zak in a direction in which he had no aptitude. I never sat down and talked to Zak about his career choice. Never tried to find out if this was what he truly wanted. And you passed him because you loved him. We all had a part in his death. All we can do now is put it behind us and move on. Put it aside, Kara, and do what needs to be done," he added, smiling over at her in reassurance. "They're waiting for you in the Ready Room."

"Great! Just frakking great!"

That same afternoon Lee tracked down Starbuck again, his temper nearing the exploding point. He had just finished reading her all too brief report indicating that she was washing out six of the nuggets. He walked into the Rec Room, glancing around briefly to make sure they were alone.

"What are you doing here, Kara? You can't wash them out of their first day!" he protested, making an effort to sound reasonable and keep his anger out of his voice. But it seemed as though she was determined to be a major pain in his ass!

"I just did," she replied tersely, barely looking up at him.

"Look, I got forty Vipers and twenty-one pilots. Thats it!" he informed her, clenching his jaw as he spoke. He would _not _lose his temper. By the gods, he would get through to her. "We are sitting ducks until we finish water-ops. We can't even maintain a cap. And gods forbid the Cylons show up!"

"Gods forbid," she mocked, looking up at him for the first time. "Lets bring in the next group of candidates.

"The next group has barely even been in a cockpit! They're doing a refresher course on Basic Flight as we speak."

"Well then, they do Basic Flight. Because this group is done! It says so right there," she added, pointing at the report he held in his hand. "Maybe you should read it again." She glared at him and turned away to leave.

"Lt. Thrace!" he called out to her angrily. If she wouldn't listen to him as Lee, then shed frakking well listen to him as her Captain and CAG! "This is not a request."

She spun around and strode back to stand before him, her face showing that she was almost as angry as he was. "Well, Captain Adama, I am the flight instructor, sir! My word is scripture, sir. I will not, repeat, not pass another student who isn't ready," she added, poking a finger into his chest.

"So thats what this is about," Lee replied, her words finally telling him what was really going on inside her head. "Its not them. Its Zak." She was afraid she wouldn't be able to train them after what had happened with his brother. She was afraid she would fail, they would lose their lives, and shed be to blame.

She stared at him stonily and stepped forward until scarcely a few inches separated their faces. Her eyes were shooting angry sparks at him and her teeth were clenched. "Careful."

Lee stared her down, not willing to let her get away with such a degree of insubordination. "Step back," he ordered firmly.

She shot his one final angry glare, stepped back a small step, and strode from the room.

Lee stood motionless for several long moments, taking deep breaths to regain control of his own temper and emotions. She was out of control and if she wasn't going to listen to him, shed damn well listen to the Commander. If they were going to continue to be a functioning squadron and protect the fleet, then there were no other options.

"If Starbuck says they can't cut it, they can't cut it," the Commander told him after Lee requested that the nuggets be reinstated.

"She's not giving them a chance. Its day one," Lee said, striving to put forth his most rational argument. It was just too damned early to tell if the nuggets were going to cut it or not. They deserved a fair chance, and they weren't getting one because of Starbucks personal hang-ups.

"She's one of the finest pilots I've ever seen in my life. One day in the cockpit is all she needs to know if they're gonna hack it or not."

"I'm not arguing that, sir," Lee stated, agreeing that Starbuck was the best pilot hed ever flown with. That wasn't the issue that had him worried. He stared intently at his father, willing the man to read between the lines. "I'm just saying I think she's letting her personal feelings cloud her judgment."

"Please sit down, Captain," his father offered, waving a hand at a chair as he perched on the edge of his desk. After Lee had complied, his father looked down at him with a slight frown. "What are those feelings?"

"About Zak."

"We've talked about Zak," his father stated simply.

"You did?" Lee asked in complete surprise. He knew that his father and Kara were close, but he never imagined that she would have confided in him about what she had done for Zak. It was a bit uncomfortable, the realization that Kara was closer to his father than he was.

"We've talked about a lot of things. We've been aboard this ship for over two years. We know each other very well. When I asked her to be the instructor, I knew it was going to release a lot of loose baggage. She acknowledged it. She's a professional. She'll do her job."

Lee stared at his hands and chewed the inside of his mouth as he thought about his fathers words. His father had obviously come to terms with what Kara had done, but he couldn't possibly realize how volatile she was right now. "Okay. I'm just saying that you should talk to her again. She's walking around with a lot of emotion. She almost decked me in the Rec Room," he admitted with a shake of his head. He saw his father smile slightly and shake his head. "Right. You wouldn't smile if you were there."

"I'll talk to her," his father agreed with a nod of understanding.

"Thank you." Lee stood up and turned to leave, but stopped short, wanting to be sure his father understood the seriousness of what was going on in Kara's head. "Personally, I think she's trying to work out her guilt over what she did for Zak. I think she's trying to make up for it by beating up on these guys," he added thoughtfully. He wanted to make sure the Commander knew that Kara was trying to do what she thought was best, but simply wasn't seeing everything clearly.

"Guilt?" his father asked, tilting his head and frowning lightly at Lee. "Over what? What did she do for Zak?"

Lee caught his breath in horror, as he realized that Kara had not told the Commander everything about the circumstances behind Zaks death. Oh gods... what had he done? "I thought you just said..."

"What did she do?" his father persisted, his eyes never leaving Lees face.

Lee hesitated, knowing full well that he had divulged something he shouldn't have. Something Kara was not ready to deal with. "Its not my place to say and I've already said more than I should have. You'll have to ask her. I'm sorry." Lee shook his head and walked toward the door, feeling his fathers eyes boring into his back.

"Captain, just..."

Lee turned around and stared unyieldingly at his father. "Dad, you'll have to ask her!" without another word he turned and fled from his fathers quarters. What the hell had he just done!

xxxxx

Alone in the senior pilots quarters Athena listened as Lee told her about his day in excruciating detail. He paced back and forth, waving his arms and gesturing with his hands as he spoke. He was torn between his frustration and anger at Kara's unwillingness to give the nuggets a chance, and his own horror and guilt at having let slip a portion of Kara's secret in front of his father. She was surprised at some of the things he had told her. Not the facts alone, but the fact that he was sharing so much truly private and personal information with her. It seemed that he had accepted her as his confidante, and she settled comfortably into the role. She had wanted the opportunity to get to know him better, and he was holding nothing back from her now.

"He had no idea, AJ! When hed said they'd talked about Zak, I honestly thought he was telling me that he and Starbuck had talked about everything!" Lee told her passionately, his voice shaking with his pain. "I would never have said a thing if I'd thought. . ."

"Lee," Athena murmured soothingly, stiffly rising from the bunk to stop his pacing. She held him still with her hands on his elbows, making him stop and look down at her. "You didn't know. You thought you were helping her. You were doing what needed to be done to advance the training of the nuggets. You were being the CAG!"

"That doesn't make it any easier," he told her with a sigh, his muscles tense beneath her fingertips. "You don't know my father. He can be very. . . unforgiving. And Kara. . . she loves my father unconditionally."

Athena sighed and pulled him into her arms, hugging him tightly against her. He buried his face into her neck and rested his hands gently upon her hips, his anguish very real. She glanced up at the hatch leading to the quarters, hoping no one would come in while they were in what could only be seen as a compromising situation, then she thought about his problem for a few more moments before taking a deep breath. "Lee. You know that this is something that has probably been eating at Kara since Zak's death. She has been living alone with this heavy load of guilt for over two years now, and she just managed to tell you a few weeks ago. I think that. . . in the long run. . . this will be a good thing for her. Maybe not right away, but now that one of her worst fears has been realized she'll be able to get past what she did. Hopefully learn to live with it."

"You think so?" he asked, entwining his arms around her waist and holding her fully against him.

"I hope so. I only know that its really hard to live a lie. To keep a secret that is so big, and to have no one to talk with about it. It's hard, Lee," she admitted, realizing that she had been forced into a life of secrecy since she had discovered that the President was her father. Now that Lee knew about President Adarr having been Athenas father, it made it so much easier for her. There were now two people she trusted with whom she could talk openly, without having to guard her every word before she spoke.

"She's not going to forgive me," he said softly. "She's been my friend for so long, and now. . ."

"You don't know whats going to happen, Lee. Give Kara some credit," she added, disengaging his arms and moving backward a step. She moved stiffly over to a chair and sat down, noticing how he simply stood with his arms hanging by his side and his eyes watching her with a frown. Only the gods knew what was going to happen, and one of them had to have a little faith that things would turn out for the best.

"Thank you, AJ. I... Its good to have you to talk to."

"You're very welcome, Lee."

Lee had taken her off the flight schedule, so after a long day of doing nothing, Athena decided to get herself up out of bed and work off her stiffness. Her stitched arm was stiff and sore and when she walked she felt like she was eighty years old. She really couldn't recommend having a steel plate tossed upon ones body. But she knew shed feel better if she only got moving and stretched her achy muscles. Besides, with the pilots either off on duty or sleeping, the officers quarters were too quiet and lonely to suit her.

Athena made her way to the flight deck, thinking she could find something useful to do for Chief Tyrol. He was always short handed when it came to mechanics, and she had yet to talk to him about being of assistance. Thanks to her stepfather and his shop, she had a lot of experience working on birds of all kinds.

"Hey, Galen," she called out as she walked up to where he sat going over what she knew had to be endless paperwork.

"Hey yourself, Lieutenant," he greeted her with a smile. "You look beat to hell."

"Gee, thanks!" she responded with a laugh. She could always count on him to be honest whether she wanted him to be or not. "At least I'm alive and kicking."

His smile faded at the unintentioned reminder of the thirteen pilots who had died on his hanger deck because of what had been nothing more than a stupid accident. "Thank the gods for that."

Athena frowned down at him, her hands perched upon her hips. "It was _not _your fault, Galen," She stated adamantly, stepping up to him so that he had no choice but to look directly at her. "It was a lousy accident due to something you had no control over. This is an old ship and shit happens. So quit beating yourself up about it!"

"It happened on my deck. . . on my watch," he muttered fiercely, his expression as stony as Captain Adamas on a really bad day.

"Somebody dies every day, Galen," she told him softly, stiffly sinking to sit in the chair across from him and reaching out to place a hand on his forearm. "So listen and believe me when I say that each day we _do _have is a gift. We could have all died in the initial Cylon attack. Or after leaving Ragnar. Or during our hundred and thirty-five hour marathon fight and flee session. Or anytime thereafter. And during every one of those times it was you and your crew who kept us going. Who kept us alive to fight." She paused to look at him with a combination of compassion and ferocity. "It. Was. Not. Your. Fault."

"Did you come down here to lecture me, AJ?" he asked with an amused smile.

"Nope. I came down to tell you that this was your lucky week."

"How so?" he challenged with a curious expression.

"Because I am yours for the week, or at least until the doctor clears me to fly again," she informed him with a grin.

"Hell, woman. . . does the Captain know about this? I didn't really think he was the sort of man to share!" he teased, tauntingly placing a hand over hers where it still sat upon his arm.

Athena pulled her hand away from him and smacked him hard on one shoulder. "Don't be a jerk, Chief. I'm off the flying schedule for at least a week and I need to do something productive. And there is nothing other than friendship between Captain Adama and I."

He rubbed the spot where she had just hit him. "I think I liked it better when you called me Galen. At least then I had a bit of hope that you appreciated me for more than my superior mechanical skill."

"As if," she laughed. "I didn't know Sharon was the type to share, either. Sorry," she added softly as his expression lost its animation. Obviously shed just hit upon yet another sore spot.

"The XO called Sharon on it, so we had to break off our relationship," he told her glumly. "Sometimes I really hate being in the military."

"I'm sorry, Galen. If you can just hang tough, I think there is a good possibility that the regs will be changed before too long," she told him, hoping she wasn't speaking out of turn. "With our numbers so few in the fleet, I've heard tell that command is rethinking the fraternization rules and considering relaxing things a bit."

"Really?" he responded with interest. "Gives a man hope, at least. So now, Lieutenant, what did you really want to see me about?"

"I'm looking for a job until I can fly again. I never got a chance too tell you, but I grew up with a wrench in my hand and know our birds inside out," she explained with a gentle smile at his obvious change of subject. Friend time was over, and had been replaced by Chief of the Deck mode. "Most of my hours were on the Mark IV, but I also worked extensively on the Mark VII and actually had the privilege of helping draft the plans for the Mark VIII. Plus, my dad and I rebuilt a Mark II and managed to borrow a core and fly it around the neighborhood before the neighbors complained about the noise."

"I see," he replied with a nod. "I'd be pleased to have you on the team until you're cleared to fly again. Have you gotten this cleared with the CAG?"

"Not yet. He hasn't been around much today. But it only makes sense. I can't sit around and twiddle my thumbs for a week," she added with a laugh. "Trust me that it won't be a problem. Give me a job and then review my work. I think you'll be happy with what I can do for you."

"Now there you go again with the innuendo," he taunted with a chuckle of his own. "I ought to"

"Give me a tool box and put me to work!" Athena interrupted happily, liking this man more than she had expected.

xxxxx

Lee stood in the CIC next to the dradis, listening to Starbuck as she worked with the nuggets. It was as though she were a new person. She was patient, animated, and actually sounded as though she were having fun. It made him think that perhaps AJ was right and Starbuck was going to be better off now that her secret was no longer a secret. His father, however, was like a storm cloud on two legs. He spoke only when spoken to, and his eyes were steely and cold. There was no doubt in Lees mind that his father had confronted Starbuck and was not at all pleased with what he had learned. Lee watched him carefully, silently, knowing that his fathers world had been shaken to the core by what he now almost certainly knew Starbuck had done.

Tigh chuckled, pulling Lees attention out of his thoughts. "I'll be damned. Whats got into Starbuck? She actually sounds like a real instructor for a change."

Lee glanced at his father, who did not even look up or respond in any way to Tighs words.

"Holy crap!" Starbucks voice came over the wireless. "We've got incoming!"

"Where the hell did they come from?" Tigh demanded, looking over at the dradis console and seeing that there were multiple contacts. "Why didn't we see them coming?"

Lee strode across the room to the Communications Officers station and picked up the microphone. "Launch the Alert Fighters!"

Tigh picked up the microphone to the fleet wide radio system. "Attention! Set Condition One throughout the fleet.

Lee listened to Starbuck ask for the Calvary before ordering the nuggets back to Galactica. He watched on the dradis as the Cylon ships flew toward the training Viper pilots.

"Where's the base ship?" his father asked, verbalizing what everyone else was thinking.

"No base ships detected, sir," Lt. Gaeta responded, his eyes glued on his screens. "Eight Raiders."

"They found us," Tigh growled, his mouth twisted into a disgusted frown. "It was only a matter of time."

Lee heard the Alert One fighters, four of them, launch and head toward the incoming Vipers and Raiders. Suddenly, the dradis showed Starbuck reverse her ship and head directly toward the eight incoming Raiders.

"What's she doing?" his father demanded, his eyes no longer stony and cold, but filled with fear for the woman they both loved as family.

"Starbuck's gonna take on all eight," Tigh answered in a voice that held a combination of both respect and disgust. "And get herself killed."

At that moment Starbuck and Hotdog, who had disobeyed orders and followed Starbuck, engaged the Cylon ships.

"She'll make it," Lee heard his father whisper. They listened wordlessly as Hotdog destroyed one of the enemy ships and Starbuck another six, one right after another. Hotdog took a hit and this time obeyed Starbucks orders to get out of the fight. There was just one left, and it looked like Starbuck would end up being the hero of the day.

Suddenly there was a crackling sound and Starbucks Viper dropped off the screen, her radio and transponder no longer communicating with Galactica. Lee held his breath, not wanting to think the thoughts running crazily through his head. The Alert One leader reported only a few minutes later.

"Alert One. We spotted Hotdog. No ID or visual on Starbuck."

Lee looked up and caught his fathers eyes. They stared at each other silently each lost in their own fear that Starbuck was gone.

xxxxx

"Launch Alert Fighters!"

Athena sat up straighter next to the console that she had been rewiring. Normally, this would have been her shift for the emergency alert, but since her injury Lee had reworked the schedule without her. So, here she was, resting her body and challenging her mind with broken pieces of equipment. After asking her a few "what if" mechanical questions and looking impressed with her answers, he had given her a list of jobs that wouldn't tax her physical injuries. Now she was wishing she was close enough to the Chiefs wireless to hear what was going on outside.

"Attention! Set Condition One throughout the fleet," Colonel Tighs voice followed Lees alert notification.

Athena watched the four pilots leap down the stairs and climb into the pre-checked birds that had been prepared and made ready for this very type of scenario. The elevators lifted them up out of her sight and into the launch chutes.

Chief Tyrol slammed a phone down onto its base and yelled. "Get me a Raptor on deck. We've got pilots to pick up." He looked over at her and frowned. "Eight Raiders just jumped into our space. Hotdog is adrift and Starbuck is missing."

"Frak," She muttered. "What can I do?"

"Nothing. Alert One is out and Sharon will be on her way to pick up Hotdog. So I guess we wait," he added unnecessarily.

Athena nodded and began to clean up her work area. She had done enough for the day. Now she would just wait with the Chief and pray Starbuck came home safely.

xxxxx

Lee crouched on the wing of the Raptor and listened, his heart in his throat, as his father questioned Hotdog about what happened leading up to Starbuck going missing. Hotdog was pale and in shock from his near-death experience, but he answered every question put to him.

"Get this man to the medical unit," the Commander ordered, stepping away.

Lee jumped off of the wing where he had been perched, and pulled his own pilots wings off his flight suit lapel. He learned over Hotdog and pinned the insignia onto the strap of the young mans tank.

"I think you earned these today," Lee stated softly, giving him a nod of confidence. The young pilot simply looked at Lee, obviously bereft and lost at having made it back without his instructor. Lee smiled at him once more, hiding his own concern about Starbuck, before turning and striding toward his Viper.

Socinus tagged his footsteps. "The auxiliary RT switch is sticking a bit, sir, but she'll fly."

"Polish up the canopy," Lee ordered, barely glancing at the affable young mechanic. "I want it crystal clear." It was going to be hard going... Mark I Eyeball, as the saying went. In other words, in the days of early flying technology, the only search equipment you used were your eyes. Lee climbed up into the Viper, strapping on his neckpiece in preparation for take off. He took the helmet that was extended toward him and glanced up to see his father standing on the ladder beside the ship.

"Find her," his father said gruffly, looking down at Lee intently.

"I will," Lee stated firmly and watched as his father backed down the ladder and walked away without a backward glance. Just past his father, Lee saw AJ standing off to one side, watching him with enormous eyes. He smiled at her with a confidence he didn't truly feel, before settling his helmet on over his head and connecting his breathing and communication apparatus.

She smiled in return and mouthed the words that settled his unsteady nerves. "Good hunting."

Lee looked at her for a long moment and then looked away, knowing that he needed to put his mind back in the game. When he looked up a few moments later, she was gone.

DAY SEVENTEEN

The search of the moon for Starbuck was a frakking nightmare. Not only were the clouds thick with grit and low to the ground, but also there were high winds that buffeted the Vipers as though they were nothing more than the lightest of feathers. It took every ounce of concentration and skill to keep the bird in the air, and Lee and his wingman almost didn't manage that! The clouds had broken to expose the face of a mountainside that Lee was about to fly into. It was only through amazing skill and iron strength that they both managed to avoid a collision that would have surely killed them.

After over twenty hours of this type of thing, Lee was forced to go back to Galactica one more time to refuel. And, whether it was from tiredness or stress, Lee barely managed to land his Viper in the bay.

"What the hell happened this time, Captain?" Chief Tyrol asked as he walked up to Lees bird, his voice filled with suppressed anger and frustration. As Lee climbed down the ladder he noticed that his engine was smoking and two deck hands with fire extinguishers were standing by.

"I hit the roll thrusters to level off for set down but only the left one fired," Lee explained as he stretched his torso, his muscles sore from the hours of tense atmospheric flying. Slamming into the wall of the landing bay hadn't done his neck any good either.

"It's that crap you're flying into down there," Tyrol explained with an aggrieved sigh. "It gums everything up."

"Get me another Viper," Lee ordered, looking around to see what was available. He needed to get back out into the search. Kara only had five hours of oxygen left, and there was no time to waste.

"Love to, Captain, but this makes thirteen Vipers down, plus your Mark VII. I'm fresh out," he explained, running his hand through his short hair in frustration.

"Damn it! I've got a pilot down and I need another Viper now!" Lee responded stridently, his own frustration level increasing tenfold.

"I realize that, Captain," Tyrol said with a heavy sigh. "But you can push people a hell of a lot further than you can push machines."

"Tyrol. I'm the CAG. You're the Chief. Just make it happen!" Lee ordered before spinning on his heel and striding off toward the CIC.

xxxxx

"You can only do what you can do," Athena told Galen as he angrily watched Lee walking away. The frustration level was high among command, pilots and mechanics alike. They all wanted the same thing, but the environment of the moon was conspiring against their success. Mechanics were not miracle workers.

"Tell that to your Captain," Tyrol grumbled angrily. "You want too take a shot at fixing his bird? Maybe he won't kick your ass as hard as he would mine."

Athena thought about it for a moment, wondering what was the best way to go about things with so many birds out of action. "Why don't we just take the things that do work out of the broken Vipers, take the best frames, and see how many whole birds we can make?" she suggested, looking at Lee's smoking Mark II. "I don't think theres much hope for this one unless we have a week."

"Good idea, AJ," the Chief said with an impressed nod and a grin. "Any chance I could steal you away from the Captain and put you in charge of my rookies?"

"Now, Galen," Athena laughed, pulling open the hull panel of Lees Viper to see what he hadn't broken and she could still use. "I told you that my heart firmly belongs to. . . my Viper! I'm yours for the rest of the week and then I go back to soaring through space."

"My loss."

"Yep," she agreed without looking at him, her mind already on the job that lay before her. She was going to build Lee a new Viper.

xxxxx

Lee waked into the CIC, still seething with frustration, fear, and a shipload of stress. Over twenty-five hours had passed and they still hadn't found Kara. Her oxygen would be depleted within the next five or so hours, and he refused to accept that they could lose her. She was their best pilot. And she was his oldest friend.

"Can't see very far when you're hugging the ground," he heard Tigh telling the Commander as he walked up to where the Commander, the XO and Lt. Gaeta stood at the dradis console.

"You can't see anything at all from altitude," he countered, his neck prickling at the sight of the Colonels smug expression. It was almost as if he were enjoying the fact that Kara was missing. "Not to mention the crap in the air that keeps screwing up our ships. Thirteen Vipers down for repairs," he informed his father, deciding hed be better off ignoring Tigh completely.

"We need more eyes," the Commander stated thoughtfully.

"Where we going to get them?" Tigh asked with upraised eyebrows.

"Pull the CAP," Lee suggested, voicing the idea that had been bouncing around inside his head since hed landed back on Galactica.

"What?" Tigh exploded, looking at Lee in complete shock. Lt. Gaeta stood beside the Colonel, his eyes also upon Lee in obvious shock.

"Re-deploy the Combat Air Patrol to the search," Lee repeated in his most patient voice. The voice he used for small children, rookies and nugget pilots.

"Bad idea. The CAP is the fleets only defense. If all our Vipers are frakking around on the moon when the Cylons come calling, we're maggot meat," Tigh drawled sarcastically, his eyes locked on Lees face.

Lee thought for a quick moment. "Then bring the fleet closer to the moon. We can always scramble the Vipers from the search to meet any attack."

"You've got to be kidding!"

Lee stared resolutely at the Colonel. "Bottom line is we can double the area we can search in the time we have left.

Tigh huffed out a breath and crossed his arms across his chest. "Starbuck would be the first one to tell you _not _to do this."

Lee continued to stare down the Colonel. The rest of the room ceased to exist. "Nothing would make you happier, would it? Get rid of the foul-mouthed, insubordinate pilot that keeps challenging your authority!" Lee stepped closer to Tigh until they were nose to nose and he could smell the coffee the older man had been drinking.

"You are way out of line, mister," Tigh growled, his face stony in his anger. "I'm not the one confusing personal feeling with duty."

"Oh yeah?" Lee challenged, his temper finally flaring to the point where all he wanted to do was deck the asshole in front of him. "What the hell does that mean?" Lee clenched his fists and moved still closer to the XO.

"It means you are _way _too close to this because she's your friend!"

Lee grabbed the Colonels uniform shirt at the collar with both hands, lifting him until the older man was standing on the tips of his toes.

"Gentlemen!" the Commanders calm voice cut through the haze of Lees fury. Lee sucked in ragged breaths as he stared unflinchingly into the Colonels eyes. The older man was flushed with anger and the degree of control it was taking him not to fight back. "We have work to do. Captain," his father added simply, letting Lee know that hed better pull back before things got too far out of hand.

Lee let go of the Colonels shirt with a firm push that rocked Tigh back on his heels in a manner that forced him to take a frantic backward step to keep his balance. Lee followed his father to where he had moved, a scant six or seven feet away from the dradis console.

The Commander looked at Lee with neither praise nor condemnation. He no doubt shared Lees frustration. "Get as many birds up in the air as you can and you find our girl."

Lee sighed heavily as the rush of adrenaline left his body, leaving him limp and tired. He nodded his understanding at his father. "You got it." With one final look at the man he was beginning to understand more and more every day, he walked away. He had a Viper to work on.

Lee followed AJ's directions without protest, having discovered that she was as at home inside the guts of a Viper as she was in the cockpit. She was actually building him a new Viper, of all things. When he had come back to the flight deck to find that there was still no working birds for him to return to the search with, he had let loose with more swear words than he would normally have used in an entire year. The chief looked at him in shock, and then turned his gaze toward the person rolling out from under a nearby Viper frame.

"Captain, if you'd stop getting in our way, you'd get your bird that much sooner," AJ stated calmly as she looked up at him. She was wearing a grease-covered mechanics suit, and her face was smudged with dirt and soot in the most charming manner. "The Chief is doing everything in his power to help you. You're only making things that much harder for everyone concerned."

Lee felt his anger fade and he smiled lightly at the scolding tone in her voice. He took a deep breath and nodded. He had been totally out of line. "I apologize, Tyrol. What can I do to help?"

The Chief looked at AJ in complete amazement and then back to Lee. "She's in charge of this particular Viper. I've just been seeing to it that she has what she needs to get the job done. Just help her out so she doesn't tear any stitches."

"Consider it done," Lee agreed and soon found himself following AJs comprehensive and knowledgeable instructions. He owed her an apology, too. "Sorry to be such an ass. How long you been here?" he asked her as he bolted in an electrical board.

"Since you left to start the search yesterday," she admitted, her voice beyond tired. "I couldn't just sit around and do nothing, and I'm damned good with the birds."

"I can see that," he replied, feeling a surge of admiration and respect that made him look at her in a new way. This woman was one of a kind and he was glad to have her on his team. He grinned as he reached out and wiped a dark smudge off the tip of her nose. "You gotten any sleep at all?"

"Have you?" she countered sassily, not even bothering to look over at him.

"Nope, and I think it came damn close to landing me in the brig," he admitted with a chuckle as he recalled the way hed manhandled Colonel Tigh in the CIC. If it hadn't been for the Commander standing directly across from them, Lee was sure their disagreement would have come to serious blows, thus landing him in the brig for striking a superior asshole. He now completely understood Karas assessment of Colonel Tigh. The only good he could say about the man at that particular moment was that he staunchly supported the Commander and appeared to be a good friend to the old man.

"I expect you to tell me all about it later," she directed with a grin, her hands never stopping what they were doing.

Before he could respond, Socinus knelt down and told him that there was a call for him on the telephone. He set down his wrench with an aggrieved sigh and looked at AJ. "Sorry. Can you finish without me?"

"I'll muddle through somehow," she quipped with a wink and a smile in his direction.

He grinned back, realizing that she didn't need his help at all, and rolled out from under the Viper to follow Socinus. "Where is it?" he asked, looking around the hanger for the phone.

"That way, sir," the mechanic directed, pointing a finger at an ancient looking telephone receiver.

"Yeah. Apollo," Lee answered impatiently into the handset.

"Hold for President Roslin," a young male voice that could only have been Billy, ordered him.

"How are you holding up?" President Roslin asked in a concerned tone.

"Better than my Viper. We're slapping one together from pieces of the others."

"I need your help. Did you know that your father just redeployed the Combat Air Patrol?"

Lee smiled to himself at her incredulous tone and the fact that his father had taken his advice. "Yes, Madam President. It was my idea."

"Your idea?"

"We need every Viper we've got."

"Maybe I'm missing something about the tactics involved here, but isn't the fleet defenseless without the CAP?" she asked in her most patient, schoolteacher tone of voice.

"Only for a short time. Because after that. . ." he paused before he had to say the words he didn't want to hear, much less say, out loud. "Because after that Karas oxygen will be gone and she'll be dead."

There was a very noticeable pause. "Are you very close with Lt. Thrace?"

"I'm close with all my pilots," he answered vaguely, refusing to give her the answer she was searching for. This wasn't about his friendship with Kara. It was about not leaving behind the people who risked their lives each and every day to keep the civilian population safe.

"And I assume the same is true for your father?"

"His pilots mean a lot to him. To all of us. We don't leave anyone behind," he stated firmly.

"But we have left people behind," she replied softly. "You know that."

"Not this time. Your FTL drive should be spun up and ready. Just make sure everyone is set to jump at the first sign of trouble," he advised, wondering how he was going to end this call without offending the President.

"With all due respect, Captain, there are times when it is necessary for the safety of the fleet to put"

"Not this time," Lee interrupted her heedlessly, deciding that it didn't matter if he did offend her. He was too busy for this crap right now. "Madam President, we just haven't exhausted all the options and the safety of the fleet has not been compromised."

"I hope you find her."

Lee took a deep breath at the suddenness of her change in direction. "Thank you." he hung up the phone and headed back to Athena. "How much longer do you think it will be?"

"An hour at most," she answered patiently, showing Socinus where to connect a heavy component to the undercarriage of the Viper. "I won't let you down, Lee."

"I know you wont," he accepted, realizing that in her very special way, she was doing everything in her not inconsiderable power to get him what he wanted and needed most. Not having looked past the wonder of their new relationship, he suddenly realized that she was so much more than a friend and confidante. She was becoming a partner worth treasuring. He knew that with her at his side, he would be a better man than he would ever have been on his own. She had high expectations for him, and he would die before he let her down.

Lee hand delivered a new report to the Commander in the CIC. Colonel Tigh was nowhere to be seen, and Lt. Gaeta looked stressed beyond belief. In fact, the entire crew looked like they were standing on eggshells, afraid to move too often in any particular direction. All eyes flashed continually to the Commander.

"Commander?" Lee called out as he crossed the room toward his father. "Red Flight reports an area of highlands here," he informed him, pointing out the detail on the chart in front of them. "Increased visibility out to fifteen klicks, maybe."

"Its on the wrong side of the moon," his father mused, pointing out a fact that Lee had missed. Damn! He was even more tired than he thought. "Almost impossible to..."

"Excuse me, Commander," D interrupted in a flustered voice. "We have a signal from Colonial Ones shuttle. They request permission to land. They have the President on board. Sir."

"Why wasn't I notified the President was coming aboard? The Commander asked with a frown.

"There was no advance notice, sir."

Lee and his father looked steadily at one another, each wondering if the other... "I didn't know she was coming," Lee stated, feeling the need to defend himself against his fathers accusing stare.

"Lets go," his father muttered, turning toward D as they began to leave. "Have Colonel Tigh meet her at the airlock. Bring her to my quarters, please."

"Very well," D answered in as cold a tone as Lee had ever heard from the young woman. That very tone, combined with the palpable tension in the air of the CIC, told Lee that his father had been a bastard to be around for the past day and a half.

"She's gonna press," his father warned him as they entered his quarters.

"I'm with you," Lee replied with a nod, knowing that they had to provide a unified front. He stood in a section of the room near his father, but where he would be able to see both of their faces as they talked. This was not going to be a fun meeting.

Colonel Tigh stepped one foot inside the hatch and stopped. "President Roslin," he informed them coldly. Apparently, even his fathers best friend was none too fond of the old man this afternoon, Lee thought silently.

"Madam President," his father greeter her with no outward expression.

"Skip the formalities. You both know why I'm here," she stated sharply, her expression as fierce as Lee had ever seen.

"Termination of a pilots rescue mission is a military decision," the Commander said firmly, as though he had decided to jump right into the offensive.

"Thats a bunch of crap! This isn't military. . . its personal. Neither of you can let go of Kara Thrace because she's your last link to Zak," the President said, initiating her own offensive.

Lee and his father looked directly at one another. Lee dove in. "You don't know anything about my brother."

"Don't even begin, Captain," she shot back, her anger well contained as she glared at him. "You've lost your perspective. As have you," she added, now glaring at his father. "Under normal circumstances it would just be sad that the two of you can't come to terms with Zaks death. In this situation you're putting your pilots at risk and you're exposing the entire fleet to possible attack every moment we stay here."

The Commander looked at her in an almost impassive manner, though Lee knew he had to be anything but. "We've been at risk of attack since day one. The Cylons won't be missing their patrol for at least one more day."

President Roslin took a firm step closer to the Commander, her eyes never leaving his face. "Colonel Tigh. How much aviation fuel has been expended in this operation?"

"Forty-three percent of the reserves," the Colonel reported sullenly, his eyes downcast.

"Almost half. Thats unacceptable. Operation in the moons atmosphere have put one-third of your fighters out of action. That is also completely unacceptable."

Lee knew that these tidbits of information had to have come from Colonel Tigh. There would have been no way for her to get such specific details otherwise. Lee glared at the Colonel as the XO tried to remain unobtrusive next to the open hatch.

"Crap. Unacceptable," the Commander spat back her words. "Whatever it is you feel about this, the recovery of even one pilot is a military matter."

The President nodded her head slowly, her expression becoming both sad and tired. "All right. Its military. Fine. And you're both officers. And you're both honorable men. And you're both perfectly aware that you are putting the lives of over forty-five thousand people and the future of this civilization at risk for your personal feelings. Now if the two of you, of all people, can live with that, then the human race doesn't stand a chance." Lee noticed his father look away from President Roslin for the first time and knew she'd won. "Clear your heads!"

President Roslin turned quickly and walked out of the room, Colonel Tigh hard at her heels.

Lee looked up to find his father looking at him sadly, his eyes filled with grief. Lee knew that the same expression had to be showing on his own face, but he didn't turn away. Somehow, some way, he and his father had connected in a manner they never had before. Lee sighed heavily and nodded. He hated it, but he knew what they had to do. And he knew his father knew it, too.

Lee walked to the phone on his fathers desk that was directly connected to the CIC and picked it up. "Combat. Stand by," he ordered, holding the receiver out toward his father. The Commander squared his shoulders and walked over to take the phone from Lee.

"This is the Commander. Terminate search operations. Bring everyone home. Prepare the fleet to make a jump to the next system. We're leaving," he added firmly, and then hung up the phone.

The Commander took some time to compose himself, sitting down to drink a long draught of water at his desk. He said not one word to Lee, nor did he look at him. The old man was firmly locked inside his own head, and Lee was content just to share the time and space with him. There was nothing he could say or do to ease the pain he knew his father was feeling over the loss of Kara, but he could remain nearby and show his support.

Finally, his father nodded at him and silently directed Lee to come with him. They walked in further silence to the CIC, but all the while Lees mind was seething with a multitude of thoughts and feelings. He honestly believed that he had come to terms with Zaks death in the past few weeks, and with all their parts in the travesty that had led up to it.

"I want you to know I think she's wrong," he said quietly to his father as they reached the open door to the CIC. "I think we have come to terms with what happened to Zak."

"I haven't," his father stated baldly, surprising Lee with the bitterness in his voice. The Commander continued into the CIC until Lee stopped him.

"I need to know something," Lee said hesitantly, watching as his father stopped, turned, and stepped back to where Lee still stood in the doorway. "Why did you do this? Why did _we _do this? Is it for Kara? For Zak? What?" Lee was filled with feelings of grief, shame and... jealousy like he had never before known. His mind kept asking if the old man would be so broken up if the pilot being left behind was anyone other than Kara. Lee wasn't even sure his father would have cared as much if it were _he _who were missing and presumed dead.

"Kara was family. You do whatever you have to do. Sometimes you break the rules," he admitted in a tone that said he felt no regret at what they had done.

Lee nodded slowly and took a deep breath. He had to ask. He simply had to know. "And if it was me down there instead?"

His father looked him straight in the eye, and Lee saw that the icy hard blue eyes that were always so inscrutable begin to glisten with unshed tears. "You don't have to ask that!" he rasped out with so much pain in his voice that Lee felt his own eyes begin to burn in response.

"Are you sure?" Lee continued, knowing that at this moment in time he had to have his answers. He had to know, deep down inside his very soul that his father did love him. That he was important to the man who had sired and then seemed to have forgotten all about him.

"If it were you. . . we'd never leave!" his father stated in a hoarse whisper that cut through every wall that Lee had ever erected against him. Their eyes met and held, and Lee saw the love and acceptance he had been searching for his entire life. Lee sighed heavily, and released a shaky breath as his father turned away and went into the CIC. Lee took another deep breath in an attempt to clear his eyes and mind.

AJ. He needed to find AJ. So much had happened and he needed to share every word, thought, and feeling with her. It was time to put the past firmly behind him where it belonged. It was time to put his hope in the future and, even more important, time to discover the joys to be had in the present. He now knew that he had a father who loved and respected him. And while that was important to Lee, it was much more important that he had discovered the woman who brought out the best in him and made him a better man. What more could he look for in life?


	9. Chapter 9

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Author's Note: Thank you for all the feedback. I appreciate all comments and suggestions. I also wanted to state that this is NOT an AU story. At the beginning of chapter one I indicated that it is a re-write of the pilot and series from Lee Adama's POV, along with the POV of a new character-AJ Darr-added as a love interest for Lee. I absolutely loved the majority of the series and want to stay true to it, but I always felt that Lee was underestimated and sometimes made to appear shallow and weak, which annoyed me! It also greatly annoyed me when he was paired with Dee, who I thought was too safe a choice for him. When we get to the point in the story where the original writers began to develop this relationship, things will no doubt be much different in my version! Happy reading!

Chapter Nine

Loyalties in Question

Athena was putting the final touches on Lee's new Viper when two things occurred almost simultaneously. She saw Lee walk into the hanger deck, his eyes searching the area before coming to rest upon her with what could only be relief. He headed directly toward her, not once taking his eyes off of her. Something was very wrong. Athena could see in Lee's expression, stance, and complete focus on her that he was shaken to the core and needed her.

Before Lee reached her the second thing occurred. "Action stations! Action stations!" Colonel Tighs voice rang out over the fleet wide radio system. "Launch Alert Fighters. Cylon Raider approaching."

Lee ran the final steps toward her. "Did you finish the Viper?"

"Yes, sir," she assured him, pushing the pilot ladder back toward the rebuilt Viper. "I told you I wouldn't let you down."

"I knew you wouldn't," he acknowledged softly, his expression softening. He all but ran up the ladder and climbed into the cockpit. "I wish I had time..."

"But you dont," she interrupted sternly, knowing in her gut that he needed to get his head in the game and set everything else aside. She followed him up the ladder, his helmet in her hand. "We can talk later."

She adjusted his neckpiece as he strapped into the Viper seat. He took the helmet from her and, before she could back down the ladder, he grabbed onto the front of her coverall and pulled her face down to his. He kissed her fully and thoroughly on the lips; not seeming to care that anyone could be looking.

"Thank you for everything, AJ. I don't know what I would've done without you this past week or so. You have been the best. . . friend. . . I could ever ask for, and I didn't want to leave without having told you how much I appreciate you," he whispered huskily, his blue eyes intent upon hers.

She smiled at him tenderly and reached out to caress his still red and scraped cheek. "I consider ours to be an equal friendship, and you've helped me as much as I've helped you. You are a special man, Lee Adama. I hope you know that. Good hunting," she added, gently releasing his grasp on her clothing and backing down the ladder. Athena walked away without looking back, not stopping until she was in the Chief's office. She wanted to hear everything that was happening as it happened.

Lee took off seconds later in his Viper, with Hotdog preparing to follow, but the previous days searching for Starbuck had been costly. Hotdog's Viper malfunctioned in the chute and had to abort prior to takeoff. Leaving Lee alone to face the Raider.

"Well, I guess I'm going solo," his voice stated the obvious over the wireless. "Galactica, Apollo. Target in sight."

Athena closed her eyes and began to pray. She could still taste Lee on her lips and suddenly, deep inside she knew that Lee Adama had somehow entrenched his way into her heart and become much more than just a friend to her. The night they had spent together on Colonial One may have been impulsive, but her seeking him out later had not. She had suspected he might be special, but she had never imagined she would develop such strong feelings for him so quickly. Those feelings did not blind her to his faults and insecurities, the biggest of which were his feelings of inadequacy as compared to his father. It just didn't matter. Because deep in her heart she knew he was not only a good man, but as he developed higher levels of confidence and surety in his abilities, he had the capacity to become a truly great man.

xxxxx

Lee began firing as the Raider came into range, but the enemy ship evaded using maneuvers he'd never seen from a Cylon vessel. "Whoa! This bastard's good! Hold still you little. . ." after another few round of fruitless firing, the Raider hit its brakes and dropped underneath and behind Lee's Viper. For all intents and purposes, it had disappeared from his view, but he knew it had to be there somewhere... and probably closer than was safe for he and his Viper. "What the. . . I've lost him. Galactica, I repeat, he is nowhere to be seen."

Lee craned his neck to look out the canopy above him, knowing that he was a sitting duck if he didn't locate and evade the Raider immediately. He veered off to one side, hoping to shake the Raider loose and looked up through the canopy once more. The Raider was immediately above him and was flying in a very familiar manner.

"Holy... Galactica, the Cylon is now flying formation with me, right above my head. This thing is really acting weird," he added, mostly to himself as he informed Galactica what was occurring. It was unbelievably strange that the Raider had not taken a single shot at him, and even stranger that the alien ship was. . . He frowned in confusion as he realized that the Raider was acting as though it were trying to communicate with him. It pulled slightly ahead of his Viper and Lee focused his vision intently upon the undercarriage of the other ship. When his comprehension of what he was seeing sunk in, Lee burst into wild laughter.

"Its Starbuck!" he laughed in complete amazement.

"What?" his fathers voice demanded in what could only be called an incredulous and disbelieving tone over the radio. "Come again, Apollo?"

"I um. . ." he stammered, making an effort to control his glee. "Galactica, the Cylon Raider is marked _Starbuck_. Its written under the frakking wing!" It was true! In what could only be orange tape it was marked as plainly as could be.

"Bring it into the bay. If it does anything, take it out!" his father ordered harshly. It was clear the old man had his doubts about what was happening.

"Wilco, Galactica. But I tell you what. . . it's got to be her," he informed them with a chuckle. "This thing is flying with some serious attitude!" he laughed again as the Raider moved into position beside his Viper, its wings waggling at him. He waggled his wings back, feeling as though a lead weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. Kara was alive!

xxxxx

Athena was just a step behind the Chief as he watched the crane supporting the Cylon Raider in the middle of the hanger deck. "Now your ass belongs to me," he murmured in an almost happy tone. A door underneath the craft slip open and a slimy looking pair of legs appeared. Athena and the Chief watched from the sidelines as the medics assisted Starbuck out of the ship and onto a gurney. She was a mess, but looked wonderfully alive.

Lee ran up and grinned at Kara affectionately.

"Like my new toy?" she asked with a cocky drawl. It appeared that even a near death experience on an uninhabitable moon had not daunted her spirit.

Lee threw his head back and laughed. "Boy, when you take a souvenir, you don't screw around." He covered her with a blanket and grimaced as he quickly stepped away. "Oh my gods! You smell like a latrine."

"Hmm. . ." Kara responded with a conspiratorial wink at Athena, who stood a few feet behind Lee. "You want to give me a bath?" she laughed at the surprised look on Lee's face and laid back tiredly upon the gurney as they wheeled her off to the Medical Unit.

A couple hours later Athena managed to break away from the hanger deck. After she had showered of several days of grime she changed and searched until she found Lee in his office. He was sitting at his desk, papers in front of him and a pen in his hand, with a vacant look in his eyes. He had cleaned up as well, and was dressed in his rolled down flight suit.

"Hell of a day," she greeted him and perched on the edge of the desk across from him. "I'm exhausted."

"Yeah, me, too. I have paperwork to finish up, but my brain is fried," he admitted, setting the pen down and looking over at her, his eyes thoughtful.

Athena looked at him for a long moment, wondering if seeking him out had been the right decision. She may have had an epiphany about her feeling toward him, but he was a long way from feeling the same. He appeared to appreciate her listening skills, logic and stanch loyalty, but he would probably run away as fast as he could if he knew what she had been thinking about him. All of which made her wonder about that kiss earlier in the day. Well, he'd have to be the one to bring it up.

She slid off the desk and sat down in the chair across from him. "Still want to talk about your day?"

He stretched his legs out beneath the desk, crossed his arms over his chest, and told her about what had happened when he and his father had met with the President, and later when he had confronted his father outside the CIC. She listened, eyes closed, letting him speak without interruption until he had run out of words. Then she opened her eyes and simply looked at him.

"You have changed so much since the Cylons first attacked. When I first came to the Galactica, everyone thought you were the biggest ass," she informed him with a small grin. It was true, and his expression told her that he knew it. "You had this huge chip on your shoulders that no one could understand."

"Except you."

"Well, I had the benefit of seeing the real you quite a few times after I became a part of Galactica. And I didn't know your father before I came here," she admitted with a shrug. "But that's not the point. The point is that in the past few weeks you have gotten to know your father in a way that you never had before. You've gotten to know the man he is. To see that while he has his flaws like everyone else, they are not flaws of character. To understand he's a man you can be proud to call father."

xxxxx

"Yes" Lee admitted, accepting that he had been the one to change in the past couple weeks. . . not his father. He had spent more time with his father in the weeks since the Cylon attack than he had in his entire adult life before that point. Perhaps he was finally beginning to see his father through a man's eyes, rather than through a son's. "But he's different now, too, AJ. Now. . . I'm his only family and I think he finally realized that all the rest-loyal crew and friends like the XO-can't take the place of family."

"He loves you, Lee. He just has a hard time expressing feelings. He doesn't know how to be soft. I think he's been alone so long that he has lost the ability to voice his emotions," she added with a little frown. She felt a sudden surge of pity for the Commander. "Who has loved him? He has a crew who admires and respects him. He has but one friend on this ship, but that friend is also someone who looks up to him and is a subordinate. For years now he has had no one ever question his orders, his motives, or his way of doing things. Then here you come back into his life. . . doing all that _and _questioning his very love for you. He's had to adapt and change, too, maybe more than we realize."

Lee nodded at the logic behind her words. It seemed that she could see both his father and himself much more clearly than he could. Her capacity to understand him amazed Lee. What was it about the two of them together that simply seemed to click? To mesh so thoroughly. He had never been able to talk to anyone the way he did her. It was odd that, after only knowing her a bit over two weeks, she seemed to know him down to his very soul. AJ saw his qualities and appeared to value them. And she saw his faults and appeared to accept them without hesitation or derision. She was truly the best friend he had ever had. Even Starbuck looked at him and saw only what she wanted to see. And, he found he confided very little in Starbuck these days, because she was more inclined to tease and mock than to try and understand what was going on in his head.

"How do you see me so clearly?" he asked, voicing his thoughts. "I've never had a friend like you."

"I see the ways in which you and I are alike, and I recognize some of my own feelings in you, I guess," she responded with a little frown of concentration. As if she were thinking hard on what words to say. "When I look at you, Lee, I see very clearly the man you are right now, the man you someday hope to be, and the man you are afraid you might become. I see the chinks in your armor, as well as the places where you are strong. I see the places where you are more skilled than I am, and I know I can safely sit back and let you lead. Plus, I'm not afraid to be myself and take the lead when I'm sure its right." She grinned broadly and let out a slight chuckle, her eyes sparkling. "And on top of all that. . . you're really pretty to look at."

He laughed, and realized that she had purposefully lightened the moment between them. Things had gotten fairly intense and serious between the two of them, and he wondered at his ease with her. Not only was she great to talk to, but she was damn fun to be around! "Its good to be appreciated."

xxxxx

DAY EIGHTEEN

"Oh gods, his expression was priceless!" Starbuck laughed as she talked with Athena from the confines of her hospital bed. Athena remembered the solitude and discomfort of being alone that day in the Medical Unit, and had decided to come and visit Starbuck as soon as her shift on the flight deck was over. "His mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for breath!"

"You certainly caught him off guard," Athena laughed in response. She was worried about Kara. She was acting as though nothing was wrong, but her joviality seemed contrived. "'your knee?"

"Frakking painful!" the blonde admitted with a shrug. "But the Doc has some great drugs for that."

"I remember," Athena admitted, remembering the lovely kaleidoscopes of color she had seen after her injury on the hanger bay. She had been off the pills since they had worn off yesterday morning, and her arm still ached a bit when she did too much, but it was nothing she couldn't handle unmedicated. She had just had the stitches removed before coming in to see Kara, and the doctor had released her to fly, though only on a light schedule. Lee would be happy to get her back on the rotation again, since they were still way short on pilots.

Before they could continue the conversation again, warning alarms began to sound and the med techs and nurses started bustling around. Only minutes later stretchers began to arrive. Athena and Kara watched in wide-eyed horror as screaming and burned crewmembers arrived. Something very bad had just happened. They listened to the hushed talk and learned that a Cylon copy of the man the crew had known as Aaron Doral had come onto the Galactica and set off a bomb strapped to his chest. Apparently, Commander Adama would have been severely injured had the XO not tackled and pushed him out of the way.

It was also now becoming open knowledge that the Cylons looked like humans. Athena had already suspected this from her discussions with both Lee and Galen, but Kara's eyes widened in shock at the confirmation of the news.

They sat quietly, watching and listening in horror until someone went through closing the privacy curtains.

"Oh frak! Did you know this?" Kara asked, apparently thinking that her friend was taking the news a bit too calmly.

"Yes. There was a Cylon agent named Leoben on the Ragnar Station who tried to kill the Commander," she admitted to Kara with a frown. "Only a select few people knew. Doral was discovered by Gaius Baltar to be a Cylon as well, so he was left on the station when we pulled out. So, I guess when someone saw this new Doral here on the Galactica, they must have known what he was."

"Well, frak me," Kara breathed, her displeasure at being left out of the loop apparent in her words and expression. "I can only assume that Lee told you."

"Yes. We've become good friends and we talk about pretty much everything," she admitted pointedly, gazing contemplatively at her friend. "However, I would appreciate you not saying anything about that to anyone. I would never betray anything Lee told me, but others might not understand that."

Kara looked at her with an unreadable expression. "You really care about him, don't you?"

"We've become very good friends," Athena repeated solemnly, still staring unblinkingly at the other woman. "I have come to discover that there is a lot to admire about Lee, not only as our CAG but as a man."

"Do you love him?" Kara probed curiously as she lay back on her bed. "When you talk about him you have this. . . this tone in your voice."

Athena hesitated, wanting to confide in her new friend, but wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do at that particular point in time. "I don't know. I know I _could _love him, if I let myself, but I'm not sure it'd be a wise thing for me to do. I like the way we're able to talk, and the way we share just about everything, though."

"Do you. . . Did he. . . He tells you _everything_?" the other woman asked hesitantly.

"Yes, Kara. I know what you told Lee about Zak's death. Actually, I overheard _you_ tell him the first day I met you on the hanger deck," Athena answered in response to the unspoken question. "And, while I don't know what was said later between the two of you, I know that you eventually told Commander Adama, as well."

"It was frakking horrible!" Kara breathed, her face going ashen at just the thought of what had happened between her and the Commander. "He looked at me with such disappointment and hatred. I let him down. More than that. . . I got his son killed and then let him treat me like a daughter. It's no less than I deserved," she added bitterly.

"Kara. . . that was then," Athena stated firmly, sensing that her friend was still hurting over all that had occurred. She lowered her voice and leaned closer so they wouldn't be overheard by anyone in the Medical Unit. "You should have seen the Commander when you were missing. When he thought you were dead. He may have been disappointed and angry about what you did, but he never stopped loving you."

"I hurt him."

Athena snorted in a most unladylike manner. Kara could be pretty dense at times. "We always hurt the people we love most. If they didn't love us, we wouldn't have the ability to hurt them and they couldn't hurt us. The Commander will get over it. Hell, he's already over the worst part of it."

"I can see why Lee talks to you," Kara stated contemplatively, watching Athena carefully. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being my friend. Other than Lee, you're the only other person I'd call that," she admitted ruefully. "I'm not. . . very good with relationships of any kind. I guess you could say I'm. . . difficult," she added with a twinkle of humor returning to her eyes.

"No kidding," Athena teased, standing up to go. "I'll come back tomorrow. Anything you need?"

"Nah. The old man gave me a stogie, so I'm good."

Athena left smiling. Despite what had happened on Galactica that day, she felt pretty damn good. All the people she cared about were accounted for and safely tucked within the fleet. That was more than she could say on most days.

DAY NINETEEN

Athena's CAP wasn't until afternoon, so she had four or five hours to kill. So, all things being equal, she decided the place she'd be of most use was the hanger deck. She had to admit that she was fascinated with the Cylon Raider Kara had brought home. It was like nothing she had ever seen before, and she was hoping Galen would let her in on whatever he planned to do with it.

She found him pacing around the Raider, grumbling under his breath. His brow was creased and there were dark circles under his eyes. Something was not right with him, beyond the challenges he normally had to face in a day.

"You know, talking to yourself is not a good sign," Athena commented as she stepped up to walk alongside him. "How're things?"

"Frakked up, Lieutenant. I'm not real good company right now," he warned, barely glancing at her. His expression was grim and his eyes were dark with displeasure.

"I'm not here for your charming company, Galen," she challenged with a snort. She'd never seen so many moody men in her life as here on the Galactica. "I'm here to work, and I'd hoped I could be a part of whatever you're doing with the Raider."

"Fine. But don't go crying to the CAG if you don't like my attitude."

Athena looked at him in amazement. She'd never seen him in such a bad mood, and decided that she was absolutely in the right place. She also made the decision to ignore his insulting statement about whining to Lee about him. He knew her better than that. "Where do you want me to start?"

He sighed heavily and punched the button that opened the entry hatch beneath the Raider. "Make yourself at home, AJ. I've already showered off the stench from an hour getting nothing done inside, and you're welcome to take a turn."

"Okay." Athena grabbed her ponytail and twisted it before securing it in a tight bun. She pulled off her uniform blouse and tank, along with her boots, socks and uniform pants. No sense in getting everything ruined when she only had two uniforms left. She poked her head inside and saw what she thought the inside of a gutted elephant might look like. "Yuk. What is all this stuff?"

"Guts? Thats my guess, anyway," his voice came from somewhere outside. "Kara said she sliced her way in and pulled out a enough of the organic material so she could fit inside."

"So, this is the brain and nervous system of the Raider, so to speak," she mused, reaching out to touch what looked like slimy red entrails hanging in no particular pattern within the ship. The entire inside of the ship was lined with what could only be considered flesh. It was pretty damn disgusting and was the absolute worst thing she'd ever smelled in her life. But she'd be damned if she complained. "How about I start cutting away a little more of the organic material so there's more room for us too move around? Surely underneath we'll have too find the mechanical parts of the ship. Organics like this don't fly, so there has to be real machine underneath that does the aerodynamic part of the job."

"More power to ya. I'll get a trash bin to deal with whatever you toss out," he offered as she pulled her head out and began rummaging through the tools for a sharp cutting instrument. She shot him a look and he glared back at her. "You're here by choice. Don't whine if I don't go out of my way to make it fun for you."

"You're being an ass, Galen."

"Yeah. I know. Sorry."

Athena climbed back into the tight space of the Raider and began cutting away small pieces at a time, making sure they were no bigger than a fist sized chunk at a time. If she hit a critical area, she didn't want to do any damage to the mechanics of the ship. After a while, Galen stuck his head in next to her slimy legs and began making semi-helpful suggestions.

"You heard about Cylons looking like us now? Not just rumors, I mean," he brought up in a purposefully casual manner.

"Yeah. I heard," she replied, snipping off a few more pieces of Raider guts.

"Do you think we'd know a Cylon if we met one?"

"I don't know, Galen. Whats wrong? I mean, really," she added, wanting him to know that she really wanted to know what was up with him. That she cared.

"They're conducting an investigation on the suicide bombing by the Doral Cylon."

"Yes, I know. Lee wasn't too happy about the idea of the Commander bringing in outsiders. He said that he's seen these sorts of tribunals turn bad real quick," she added, thinking about a quick comment from Lee doubting the wisdom of letting a civilian tribunal investigate inside the military.

"I frakked up and they think I'm either a Cylon myself, or I'm in collusion with them."

"What?" Athena asked in amazement and shock, turning to look at the Chief's all too serious expression. That had to be the nuttiest thing she'd ever heard. There was no one more loyal or dependable than the Chief. "Are they nuts?"

He smiled morosely at her expression of confidence in him. "Truth is, I was doing something I shouldn't have been doing, and my crew lied to protect me. Then I lied, as well, saying I was in my rack when I was really meeting Sharon. If I tell the truth, Sharon gets pulled into this, as well. Regardless of whether I tell the truth or not, three of my crew lied to the investigator, saying they saw me at the time of the explosion to keep me out of trouble. My kids are in trouble because I was frakking stupid enough to get myself into a situation where they felt they had to protect me."

"I'm so sorry," she replied softly, finally understanding what had him so deeply trapped inside of himself. He was in the middle of a no-win situation where someone was going to get hurt no matter what really happened. "What's going to happen now?"

"One of my kids confessed under oath to leaving a hatchway open accidentally, making it possible for the Cylon agent to get inside. Commander Adama dismissed the tribunal today, saying it was on a witch-hunt, but it was too late. My guy's in the brig for lying to the tribunal, and he's been stripped of his rank because of me. Because I couldn't keep my frakking zipper up!"

"Gods," she breathed, not knowing what to say.

"I broke it off for good with Sharon about half an hour before you showed up," he added, apparently deciding to bare everything to her. "She didn't take it well. But you know what? As much as I love Sharon, when I left her I knew I'd done the right thing. I have served under the Commander for over five years, and this is the first time I've ever let him down. And it was wholly because of my relationship with Sharon. By trying to live a life of secrets and lying, I hurt the thing I truly love the most. . . the Galactica."

"Chief, you're a good man," Athena said softly, meaning every word. He was the best of the best. "Im sorry about everything that happened. You made mistakes, that's true. But you're an honorable man who is facing up to what he's done, and you're trying to make it right. Im proud of you."

He flashed her a grateful smile. "Shut up, sir, and keep cutting. "I think you're getting us somewhere."


	10. Chapter 10

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Chapter Ten

Oh, My Soul!

DAY 24

Athena had developed a routine that she liked. A long, exhausting routine, to be sure, but it included all the things she enjoyed in her new life. She woke up each day in the bunk below Lee, worked on Vipers and the ever-challenging Cylon Raider until 1100 hours, flew a CAP from noon until 2200 hours, then crawled into her bunk to wait for Lee to turn in. Some nights he was there before she fell asleep and they'd talk quietly on her bunk for a time, and other days she would wake in the night to find him softly snoring in the bunk above her.

Lee's routine was as long and exhausting as he own, but his was decidedly more stressful and filled with many things he did not enjoy having to do. He was up and out on his leg of the CAP at 0600 hours until noon. After a quick bite to eat he spent the next four or five hours working with the nuggets. . . sometimes in the classroom and sometimes out in Vipers. The rest of his day was spent with his CAG and administrative duties. It was the later part of his day that was the most stressful.

Athena was going to miss his presence in the officers quarters. Two days earlier the Commander had told Lee that he had found quarters with a head for Lee to move into. Just the night before Athena had helped him move his things into the room that was about four times as big as the previous CAG office had been. You walked into an office area with a desk and two chairs, and the door to the small head on the right, where there was a tiny shower, toilet and sink. Just past the head and also on the right was a curtained off area that contained the single bunk and a nice sized closet that could have held the belongings of at least two or three people. On the back wall was a small sofa with a coffee table in front of it, allowing someplace comfortable to sit and relax. Compared to what he'd had before, an office on one end of the ship and quarters on the other, this would be a lot more convenient and comfortable for Lee.

When Athena walked onto the hanger deck to work, Chief Tyrol met her at the ladder. "I've got some good scandal for you."

"When did you become such a gossip?" she laughed as she hopped off the last steps of the ladder and headed for his office. He usually had a clipboard with jobs he had earmarked for her attention. Mostly Vipers, but sometimes he tossed in an odd complicated job that none of his rookies could handle. He had a crew of excellent mechanics, but their hands were usually full with routine ship maintenance. . . which was actually more time-consuming than working on their small squadron of Vipers. He followed her into the office, his eyes full of laughter.

"Come on, AJ! You know you're my best friend these days," he told her only half joking. It was true that they had developed a good friendship. He was supportive of her budding feelings for Lee, and seemed to be glad that she knew the complications surrounding his own relationship and breakup with Sharon. Their conversations were many and varied, from personal to professional and anything in between, and Athena had grown to appreciate his outlook on things.

"Okay, spill your guts," she told him with an amused shake of her head as she picked up her clipboard and scanned the list of broken things that needed fixing. Would she ever get something simple again. . . like a tune up? She twisted her hair into a bun and turned to look at him, waiting.

"This is serious stuff, so keep it to yourself! Gaius Baltar has been accused of sabotaging the Defense Network Mainframe on Caprica," he informed her somberly. When she simply looked at him in disbelief he stepped closer and lowered her voice. "Some woman by the name of Shelly Godfrey came on board with a disk that she says proves Baltar placed explosives on the mainframe. He's been locked out of his lab, his security level is now zilch, and he is persona non grata at CIC. I was told that under no circumstances is he to be anywhere on the flight or hanger decks. The man is so close to freaking out that it isn't even funny."

"Oh, my gods," she breathed, taken completely by surprise. She had seen but never been officially introduced to the doctor, and it was true that Lee thought he was a really strange man, but she would never have expected something like this. "They don't think he's a Cylon, do they?"

"I don't know what they think. But if the disk is authentic, then he's either a Cylon or was working in collusion with them just before the attack," the Chief informed her with a shrug. "Either way, I wouldn't want to be in the good doctor's shoes. Been there, done that!"

"No kidding," Athena agreed, remembering what a horrible time it had been for Galen when he was under suspicion. She thought back to what she'd seen of Gaius Baltar, remembering the twitchy man she had seen on Colonial One before she had left to join the Galactica crew. He was prone to talking to himself and was forever jumping when people spoke to him. If she hadn't heard about his genius all her adult life, after spending time around him that first day she would have thought he was a complete moron. Time to change the subject, she thought. "How's the Raider coming?"

"It's not," he replied with a frustrated shake of his head. "You've done wonders making the inside workable, but I still can't get anything to happen. I have found components that have to do _something_, but absolutely nothing happens. And I'm terrified I'm going to touch something that blows a hole in the side of Galactica!"

Athena laughed. "I wish we could get Kara down here. No doubt she'd be a great help. This your breakfast?" she asked, pointing at some fruit and a protein bar on a small plate upon his desk.

"Nah, I ate a couple hours ago. It's for you," he told her, reddening slightly and looking away. "It's the least I can do. I know you have full days between working here and flying you CAP. The hours you work put my crew to shame."

"Thanks, Galen," she said sincerely. He continually surprised her with thoughtful little gestures. It was no wonder Sharon was head over heels in love with him. If she didn't know that he was fully aware of her feelings for Lee, she would wonder if he were coming on to her. As it was, she had decided he was just glad to have a friend. Times had been tough for him lately.

"Its the least I can do for such dedicated volunteer help."

"Read Starbuck's notes back to me again," the Chief asked her a few minutes later from inside the Raider. It was his turn inside, and she was sitting on an upturned bucket just beneath the entry panel, telling him what to do based upon notes Kara had sent them from the Medical Unit.

Athena cleared her throat. "Starbuck's notes on the Cylon Raider are, to put it succinctly, a mess! They read, The engine power up sequence began by squeezing something that looked like a red ligament with blue veins on the right side, coming out of a sack of gooey fluid shaped like a dog." Athena couldn't hold back the giggles that had formed upon reading these words. She knew first hand that there was nothing but goo and ligaments and stinky pink flesh inside the Raider. "See any gooey dogs in there, Galen?"

"Are you kidding me?" he snarled, his frustration evident even though she couldn't see him at all. "This whole frakking thing is a bunch of veins and ligaments and sacks of goo. And I don't see a single frakking dog!"

Athena smiled and read on. "Squeeze the ligament with your hand while you slide your weight on your left hip into the lymphatic sac."

"That's just stupid!" he shouted.

Colonel Tigh walked up and caught Athena covering her mouth to contain her laughter. "Afternoon, sir!" she greeted him, jumping to her feet and saluting. She had heard that he was a stickler for the protocol of rank, and she didn't want to give him any reason to come down on her.

"Lieutenant Darr. Chief inside?" he asked quietly, nodding his head at the Raider.

"Yes, sir." She hadn't realized that he'd even known her name. Was that good or bad? It was hard to be sure in this case. She'd heard the man was wildly unpredictable.

"Chief?" Colonel Tigh called out, leaning slightly toward the small hatch. His nose wrinkled as the intense odor hit him for the first time. Athena and the Chief had grown accustomed to the smell, though it was never pleasant. Anyone who encountered it for the first time always had the same reaction. . . extreme distaste.

"Gods!" Galen spat, obviously having been startled by the unexpected voice. "Yes, sir?"

"How's it coming?" the XO asked, his face expressionless.

"Ah. . . I'm getting there, sir. I haven't quite figured out all the tricks, but I'm getting there," the Chief responded hesitantly.

Colonel Tigh looked at Athena with upraised eyebrows and she looked back at him calmly, giving nothing away. He sighed, shook his head in disgust and walked away.

"The coast is clear, Chief," she called up inside after the XO was safely out of earshot. "Keep looking for that sack of dog."

"Frak you, AJ!"

Athena just grinned and started rereading Kara's nonsensical notes. Surely there was something there that could actuallly help them.

xxxxx

Lee stood behind the doctor, both of them watching as Starbuck slid her legs until they dangled off the side of the hospital bed. Her right leg was in a knee immobilizer that extended from the middle of her thigh down to her ankle. Her cut and bruised knee was visible through the kneehole, and Lee thought it looked frakking painful. She was in a definite funk, and he decided to try humor to shake her out of it.

"Come on Starbuck, you can do it," he encouraged, leaning around the doctor and watching her as her bare feet gently touched the metal floor. "That smarts. Yeah, that smarts, but. . . I. . . don't. . . care," he chanted slowly.

"You don't care," she repeated, barely audible.

"I don't care because your pain is my entertainment," he teased as he stepped forward and pulled a pair of crutches out from behind his back. "Your crutches of death, sir. Use them wisely." he handed them to her, ignoring her hard expression that obviously indicated she was wishing a messy and painful death upon him. Nothing new or unusual about that.

"Shut up," she muttered, placing the crutches under her arms and standing carefully.

"Its gonna hurt like hell, but it's supposed to," Doc Cottle offered, watching her with a lit cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Lee didn't think he'd ever seen the man without a cigarette in his mouth, and wondered what he was going to do when he ran out? He was a prickly son of a bitch already, and it was hard to imagine him in the midst of severe nicotine withdrawal.

"Thanks Doc," Starbuck replied, not looking up at the man. She took a tiny step, her weight entirely on the crutches.

"No pain, no gain," Lee quipped as she took another step. "No cliché left unturned as Kara Thrace returns to the world of the walking." Kara took another wobbly step and Lee smiled. "Can she do it or will she fall on her ass?"

"I swear to the gods, I'm gonna beat the crap out of both of you as soon as I get better," she threatened, her tone deadly serious. She took a few more small steps, and Lee found himself moving closer and placing a hand at the small of her back. Just in case. As much as he wanted her better, he didn't want her to do anything that would compound her injury. "No. I can't," she said suddenly, beginning to back slowly toward the bed again.

"Yes, you can!" he encouraged her, moving out of her way, but keeping a supportive hand ready. "You did it."

"I can't!" she spat, reaching the bed and sitting back down.

The doctor looked at her coldly. "You're not gonna get better lying on your back."

"Oh, frak off!" she told him acidly, tossing the crutches violently at Lee.

Lee caught them out of self-defense and looked at her in confusion. This was not the Starbuck he had known all these long years. The Starbuck he knew would have been out of the Medical Unit days ago, even if she'd had to crawl out on her belly! Starbuck hated being sick or injured or weak in any way. "Just take a break for five minutes and we'll try again."

"I don't want to do it again. I wan't a pill now, please?" she commanded petulantly.

Doc Cottle looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Sorry, we're weaning you off the magic pills starting today. And besides, I need them for myself." He shot her a challenging look and walked out of the room.

"You son of a bitch," she whispered toward his retreating back. Starbuck lay back on the bed and turned away from Lee, as if to pretend he was no longer there.

Lee wasn't sure what to do next. He had expected her to be raring to go and wasn't sure how to handle an apathetic Starbuck. This was a side of her he had never before seen. He leaned the crutches against the wall at the head of the bed and left without a word. He needed to talk to AJ and see what she thought about all this. She had been visiting Starbuck daily since her return, so maybe she could tell him what was going on. The gods knew, he had no idea!

xxxxx

Athena was inside the stifling cockpit of the Raider waiting for instructions from the Chief. It was her turn inside the machine, since Galen had climbed out and stomped around in frustration. It seemed the alien ship was winning the battle of wits between them.

"Stupid! Unbelievable!" he muttered ferociously, causing Athena to smile. Her smile turned to a grimace when she heard a loud bang and realized that he had kicked a toolbox. "Frak!"

Before she could speak up she heard a hesitant voice speak to the Chief outside the bird. "Not a good time?" It was Sharon. Athena kept silent, not sure if the young pilot knew she was inside the Cylon craft. Well, Athena thought, she would take her cue from the Chief and not speak unless spoken to.

"No. Its fine."

"Guess you're having problems?"

"I just can't get this thing to work. I've been over it and over it and over it, and nothing! I have no idea how Starbuck got this thing to move, much less fly," he grumbled in response.

"It's really not a _thing_, you know," Sharon said, the sound of her voice indicating that she was walking around the Raider. "It's probably a Cylon itself. More of an animal maybe, than the human models." Her voice was soft, contemplative, and almost mesmerized as her voice came full circle around the ship. "Maybe they genetically design it to perform a task. To be a fighter. Can't treat it like a thing and expect it to respond. You have to treat it like a pet. At least, thats my guess."

"Your guess?" the Chief repeated, his tone completely deadpan.

"Yeah. Thats right. My _guess_. Something else you want to say?"

"No," Tyrol responded succinctly. After a moment or two he poked his head inside beside her knee. "You catch that?"

"Yeah," Athena replied noncommittally, shifting her position so she could see him in the light of her flashlight. She wasn't sure what to say. She felt weird about listening in on their conversation and more than a little creeped out by Sharon's strange tone.

"Am I imagining things or was that really weird? It was like. . . like she was caressing the ship," he told her, his face twisted up in thought. His eyes locked on hers in very real concern.

"I couldn't see her but she sounded. . ." Athena didn't know how to describe what she was feeling in words.

"Like she almost loved it."

"Yeah."

"Weird."

"Very," Athena agreed, watching him in silence until he pulled his head out of the opening. She sighed and got back to work. She wasn't going to let their new_ pet_ get the best of them!

After another fifteen minutes of work inside the Raider, Athena backed out of the disgusting cockpit, wanting to leave herself enough time to clean up before her CAP. She would definitely need a shower before she was fit to be around anyone. Thank the gods Lee wasn't around to see her now. She was far from attractive with her hair slimed against her head in patches and her tank bra and shorts sticking to her body like a very revealing second skin. The goo of the Raider seemed to grab on and not come off without a good scrubbing. She knew she was far from attractive at that particular moment and she smelled even worse! Her feet hit the ground and she wiggled the rest of the way out to find Lee perched on a toolbox near Galen.

"Thanks for the heads up, Galen," she said fiercely as she closed the hatch, her eyes telling him that she would get him back another time. "Hello, Captain."

"Lieutenant," he greeted her with a huge grin. His eyes sparkled appreciatively as they ranged over her slime-covered head to her damp and form-fitting clothing that left nothing to the imagination. "I didn't want to disturb you while you were communing with our new pet."

She rolled her eyes, realizing that Galen and Lee had had a good old conversation while she was struggling to gain some control of the captured Cylon beast. Before she could reply she saw a familiar figure limping toward them. Lee followed her line of sight and smiled hugely. Kara approaching wearing her old tanks and a pair of cut off uniform pants, looking bedraggled and grumpy.

"Hey!" Lee called out in greeting as both her and Galen jumped up and Starbuck hobbled over to them on her crutches.

"Shut up. All of you," she ordered in an uncompromising tone. "Not one single word from any of you, okay? Except for you, AJ. You can talk. And you, Chief, you can talk." She waited until everyone had nodded and then Athena ducked her head to hide her grin at the way Kara had just put Lee firmly in his place. "What seems to be the problem here?"

"Well," Tyrol began, his own grin forming. "Your new boyfriend's a bit of a jerk, sir."

Kara laid her crutches down and leaned on the side of the Raider. "It's a girl."

"Well, if you don't mind _her_ goo on your face, she's all yours sir," the Chief informed her with a wave of his hand.

Athena stepped up and helped Kara open the hatch she had just closed. She decided to catch her friend up on what they had done so far. "I've tried to clip away as much of the organic material as possible that isn't directly connected to the working parts of the ship to give us more room to work. My theory, such as it is, is that the organics of the Cylon were the brain and nervous system of the ship and controlled all the rest, but the mechanical components are probably separate and part of the superstructure. The organics you mention in your notes are, for the most part, covering steel components that probably run the vital aspects of the ship. Of course, this is only my theory, since neither the Chief nor I have gotten a peep out of her since you left her here."

"Okay," Kara replied with a nod as she wiggled her upper torso in through the small hatch, turning on the flashlight that she was holding in her mouth.

"He likes the warm light," Galen quipped in amusement, his relief at Starbuck's appearance obvious to them all.

"Makes the touch easier, right? Maybe. Okay," Starbuck muttered as she gingerly pulled the rest of her body into the Raider. Athena stepped back next to Lee and grinned at him. "This is stupid. This is stupid!" Kara shouted from inside the craft.

"It's worth a try, sir," Galen urged her with a shrug at the rest of them. "It did fly for you once. Hasn't made so much as a grunt since. Maybe. . . I don't know. . . take it for a ride?"

"Ride it?" Kara parroted incredulously, her voice faint from inside the ship.

"Treat it like a horse," Galen added, grinning at Athena and Lee. They could hear muttering inside now, but had no idea what Kara was saying, or if she was even talking to them. Suddenly the engine started and all three of them jumped in surprise and stepped safely away from the now vibrating Raider.

"Chief? Chief?" Kara called from inside the ship, her voice sounding more than a little bit nervous.

"Just don't shoot anything!" the Chief ordered gruffly before letting out a joyous rebel yell.

xxxxx

Lee walked the silent companionway that led to his new quarters. It was located in the visitors section, so he was virtually alone in the nighttime hours. At least for now. No doubt in the future these cabins would need to be used, but he was resolved not to worry about it for now. As it was, he was thrilled that he had a little space that he could call his own. Though he did miss the closeness at night to Athena.

Once Athena had left the Raider to clean up for her CAP that afternoon, he had headed for the squadron Ready Room to meet with the group of nugget pilots. Six more had been added to the original group and they were mostly progressing well, but he couldn't wait for Starbuck to be back in the saddle enough to take them once more. He was burning the candle at too many ends, and he would be pleased to give her back this one task. Even though, if he were honest, he found it rewarding to work with the nuggets. Despite the fact that they were raw and inexperienced, they were more than willing, wanted to learn, and couldn't wait until they passed the nugget stage and became official Galactica pilots. When that happened, he would have more pilots to add to the rotation, thus giving the current pilots a much needed break.

He opened the hatch to his quarters and the first thing he was saw Athena curled up asleep on the little couch. She was wearing uniform pants and a tank, and she looked damned appealing. Her hair was loose for a change, with the soft tresses spilling down along her chest. He watched her as she slept, wondering what she was doing in his quarters. It appeared that she had tried to wait up for him and hadn't quite made it.

Lee knelt down next to the couch and pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes and away from her face. Her eyelids fluttered and then her warm chocolate brown eyes were sleepily looking up at him.

"Hey, Lee," she murmured in a groggy voice as she sat up and blinked at him. "What time is it?"

"Not too late. I got held up with the Baltar issue," he admitted, sitting next to her when she smiled and patted the seat beside her. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her lightly against his chest, loving it when she sighed and nestled her face into the curve of his neck. Gods, she felt good!

"What did the disk show?"

"It wasn't him. The disk had been altered," he admitted with a shrug, wondering how she knew so much about something that was supposed to be classified. However, he well knew that keeping a secret on a battlestar was close to impossible. She had probably heard about it from the Chief. They were as thick as thieves these days. A fact that never failed to bring up a prickle of unease and more than a bit of jealously when he heard their names mentioned together. "I honestly thought he was guilty. He's so. . ."

"Twitchy," she filled in when he hesitated. "He gives me the creeps the way he's always talking to himself. Plus, when he looks at me I feel like the only steak at a carnivore convention," she added, her expression thoughtful.

Lee laughed, throwing back his head. "I look at you that way sometimes myself."

"Yeah, but with you its different." Her hand came up to rest upon his chest, her fingers lightly caressing his skin.

"How so?"

"You at least know me as a person. You don't just want to frak me because I'm a semi-attractive female."

Lee laughed again at her words. "You give me too much credit and too little to yourself! You're definitely more than a _semi-attractive_ female, and if you think I don't want to frak you, you're the crazy one!" he admitted with a teasing leer of his own. She gave him a piercing look that told him she didn't appreciate his humor.

"Lee" she began with a frown.

"Look AJ," he interrupted, deciding to speak his mind even though it might not be the wisest move for him to make. She appeared to be under the impression he was some kind of eunick, and that thought disturbed him more than he imagined possible. It was possible he'd delayed the move from friendship to something deeper a bit longer than he should have. But he'd been so damned busy and they'd had so little time together lately. "We have an interesting relationship. I am completely comfortable with you and you seem to be comfortable with me, so I'm going to speak my mind. I may be your friend, yes, but I'm still a man. There have been times when I caught a whiff of your scent, or saw you coming out of the shower, and I've had to run in the other direction so the entire squadron wouldn't know I had a hard-on. I. . . I find that I'm very attracted to you, but I also value our friendship, and don't want to do anything to ruin that. However, that doesn't mean I don't wish. . ."

She sat quietly next to him for several long moments and Lee wondered if he had said too much. If he'd offended her. If she didn't feel anything beyond friendship for him. Then she looked up at him with a little frown pinching her eyes. "I've felt things similar to that myself, but I didn't know if I should. I didn't want to push when I know the amount of stress you're under these days. But I've wanted. . . and wondered."

To hell with wondering, Lee thought as a flash of joy shot through him. It was time to follow his instincts. He reached out and took her face in his hands, tipping her face toward his. "I'm going to kiss you, AJ. No more wondering."

He leaned across the inches that separated them and moved his mouth over hers. Her lips were soft and warm, and they parted beneath his questing tongue, allowing him access to her mouth. A strong surge of desire rushed through his body and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that their friendship was strong enough to handle the addition of a more physical aspect. He'd move slowly, but by the gods, he'd be moving in the direction he wanted to go.

DAY 25

Lee listened to the President's call over the wireless headset while both his father and Colonel Tigh listened on hand held receivers. The news was not good. In fact, it was damned bad. It appeared that a stowaway, presumably a Cylon, had been discovered on one of the ships. Lee and his father exchanged worried glances. After having lost the Shelly Godfrey Cylon somewhere on the ship, it was even more worrysome to find yet another Cylon in the fleet.

"They found him in the starboard storage compartment. Looked like he'd been camped there for days," President Roslin told the Commander.

"Are they sure its a Cylon?" his father asked.

"The captain identified him by one of the photos we sent out," she informed him. "He's another copy of the man you knew as Leoben Conroy."

"Where is it now?"

"Aboard the Gemenon Traveler, locked in a storeroom under guard."

The Commander turned to Lee, covering the receiver for a moment. "Isolate that ship."

Lee nodded and strode over to D. "Order the CAP to fly escort around the Gemenon Traveler and not allow it to approach any other ship in the fleet."

"Aye, sir," D acknowledged, turning to her console. She began to speak into her headset. "CAP, Galactica. Fly close to the Gemenon Traveler. . ."

Lee returned to his father and Colonel Tigh, trusting D to do what was needed. His father was still talking to the President.

"I'll send a team over to destroy it immediately."

"I want this man interrogated first."

"First of all," his father said curtly, "its not a him. Its an _it_. Second, anything it says cannot be trusted. Best thing to do is to destroy it immediately."

"I'd like to hear what this thing has to say," the President countered firmly. "It might be important."

"Madam President, I've dealt with this model before. It will fill your head with double-talk, half-baked philosophy and confuse you."

"Then send someone who won't be easily confused. That's an order, Commander. I want him interrogated," she ordered in the strongest of tones.

"Order understood." The Commander looked at Lee for a long moment, sighed heavily, and closed his eyes as if the weight of the universe rested upon his shoulders.

Xxxxx

It was Athena's turn to be inside the Raider, and Starbuck was standing with her head and shoulders poking up through the hatch. She had a good range of motion and could more easily direct Athena when she could see what was going on. They were both small enough that they could work together in this manner, but took turns on who was inside and who was outside. The smell was beginning to worsen as the dead organic material began to deteriorate and the person standing could duck out and take a few breaths of fresh air once in a while. Kara had shown her the mechanics that controlled the various aspects of the ship, and Athena had trimmed quite a bit of the organic material away to make it easier to find and use the controls.

"Starbuck?" Athena stated quietly to get her friends attention.

"Yeah?"

"Can I talk to you about something?" She needed to talk about what had happened between herself and Lee. They had kissed just that one time, but she had seen the desire flare into not only Lee's eyes, but into his body as well. She recognized it because it had matched her own. One serious kiss from Lee and her body ached for the lovemaking they both wanted so desperately. But she just wasn't sure it was a wise direction for them to take.

"What?"

"Lee and I. . . we kissed," Athena stated simply, feeling her face redden with embarrassment. This was not the sort of thing she was used to talking about. To anyone!

"You what? You kissed?" she yelped, her jaw dropping in surprise.

"Quiet, you idiot!" Athena scolded, and then finding she had to laugh at the look on her friends face. It was a good thing they were both inside the Raider and unlikely to be overheard by anyone working nearby. "It's not quite that scandalous."

"Huh! You kissed the CAG."

"Well, actually, he kissed me and I kissed back," she amended with a grin. And boy, what a kiss it had been! The heat of it still made her body tingle when she thought about it. Still made her want much, much more than that simple kiss.

"How was it?"

"Pretty damn good. Hot," she admitted, licking her lips as she remembered the taste of Lee's mouth. Gods! This was not a good time to let herself get all hot and bothered. "Am I making a mistake? I'm not sure if this is a wise direction for Lee and I to head into."

"Gods, AJ! I'm the last person you should come to for advice," Kara admitted with a shake of her blonde head. "Before Zak, I slept with anyone who caught my eye, and now I haven't been with anyone since Zak died. I told you before, I'm not good with relationships. Do you love Lee? Or would this just be frakking if it did come about?"

"I suspect I could very easily love him, if I don't already," Athena admitted to her friend. "As for what he feels? I'm not entirely sure. He. . . I know he's attracted to me, but I'm not sure he's looking for love. And I'm not looking for a meaningless frak, no matter how good it would be."

"Yeah," Kara said thoughtfully with a small shrug. "I'll bet it would be good, though. He's pretty frakking intense when it really matters. I bet he'd be a good lover. But, you're right I'm not sure he's ready to love anyone yet. Not when-"

"He hasn't learned to love himself," Athena stated, completing the other womans sentence. "So I should back off?"

"Oh, hell, I don't know! I can't tell you what to do, AJ! All I can tell you is that if you want to take the chance, he'd be a man worth taking the risk for. He's the most honorable, loyal and dependable man I know," Starbuck informed her vehemently. "Once he gets his head on straight when it comes to his relationship with his dad, and discovers who and what he is apart from the Adama name, he'd be a man worth having. A forever kind of man."

Athena had a fleeting thought, finding herself wondering at the tone in her friends voice. She decided to voice the question that had several times come up in her thoughts. "Do _you_ love him?"

"Frak, no! At least, not like that. I find myself wanting to deck him at least twice a day, but frakking him just sounds creepy. He's an older, really irritating brother," she described with a laugh. "Now lets get back to work. You'll have to figure out your love life on your own!"

Once again, within a few minutes someone approached the ship and interrupted their work on the Raider. Athena recognized Commander Adama's voice immediately. Kara shot her a questioning glance and then pulled herself out of the ship. There were a few softly spoken words that Athena did not hear and then Starbuck spoke.

"You really think it'll give us something?"

"No. The President disagrees," the Commander said in a bitter tone.

"How's this coming?" the Commander asked, and Athena guessed he was talking about the Raider.

"We-AJ and I-have gotten the entire avionics package figured out. Fire control, navigation, and I think we're zeroing in on her FTL drive," Kara informed him proudly.

"I did this in a hurry about three weeks ago," the Commander said, pausing for a moment, presumably to hand something to Kara. "Its an after-action report on Leoben. It's a very clever machine. Manipulative, cunning. The only problem with Leoben isn't that he lies. That would be too easy. Its that he mixes lies with truth. Just remember, he's gonna try to get into your head."

Kara chuckled. "Ah, Mom always said there was nothing in there anyway."

"Just be careful," the Commander warned her gravely. "He has an agenda. Its a goal you won't understand until later. Your job is to make sure he doesn't achieve the goal."

"Yes, sir," Kara agreed. There was a silence for a long minute and then Kara was underneath the ship again. "You can come out now. He's gone."

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop," Athena said with a guilty grin. "There really wasn't anywhere for me to go."

"No worries. I've gotta go, though. You want to table this until tomorrow?"

"Sure. I wouldn't get much done without you, anyway," Athena admitted honestly, sliding back out of the hatch and standing up on the solid ground. It was as if Kara could communicate with the Cylon Raider, and it responded to her better than anyone else. Athena just followed the other womans instructions and let herself be used as a sounding board.

"Gee. I always wanted a pet," Kara drawled with a wicked grin, picking up her cane. "I just never expected to have one quite so large. Or smelly!" She nodded at Athena and hobbled off toward the pilot's quarters, presumably to clean up for her mission.

Athena cleaned up their mess and decided to do the same, heading off for the officer's quarters. She had no more left the hanger deck when the Commander stepped up and began walking beside her. It appeared he had known she was there and had been waiting for her. "Lt. Darr. How are you doing?"

"Fine, sir," she answered a bit nervously as they walked. She had not spoken to the Commander since she had been injured and he remained with her in the Medical Unit. And to this day she wondered if he had been there when the medical crew had cut her shirts off. It was an uncomfortable feeling that Lee's father might have seen her mostly undressed. "I'm truly enjoying working on the Raider with Kara. It's a fine piece of machinery."

"I'm sure," he accepted with a frown, his nose wrinkling as he got a good whiff of the Raider goo sticking to her skin and clothing. "You heard Kara's and my conversation?"

"Most of it, sir. I'm sorry. I was inside the Raider and there was nowhere for me to go," she admitted, feeling a blush heat her face at her presence being discovered. She didn't want the Commander to think she'd been butting in where she didn't belong. "You can count on my discretion."

"I'm sure I can. Are you fully recovered from your injury?"

"Yes, sir. Thankfully, I regained full mobility and am flying again," she informed him, taking a deep breath and telling herself to stop being nervous. He was just being friendly because he'd seen Lee's interest in her, and she was acting paranoid.

They reached the corridor intersection where one way went to the CIC and the other to the pilot's quarters. "I have something I would like you to work on for me. Lee told me a bit about your background and I'd like you to try something administrative."

"Of course, sir," she agreed immediately, knowing that she'd do whatever he asked of her. She was actually honored that he would ask her directly, even though administrative work usually equaled drudgery and boredom. "Whatever you need."

"I would like you to come and see me in the next week to talk. In the meantime, I want you to think about how we could make appropriate changes to the military regulations on fraternization between crewmembers." At her surprised look he smiled lightly and continued. "In particular, how to deal with issues related to co-workers in relationships, marriages, and having children. How we can insure the safety of the fleet while, at the same time, encourage our people to continue living their lives to the fullest. Think about what you believe will or won't work in various crew situations."

"I understand," she said slowly, thinking over his words. She did have a few ideas, and she knew some people who would possibly have logical and sensible input. She also didn't fail to see the irony in that she was thinking seriously about pursuing a more serious relationship with Lee. "I'll give it thought and put some things on paper for you. It may be a week or more, though. My schedule is beyond hectic these days. Will that be okay?"

"That will be fine," he agreed with a nod, his eyes almost seeming to assess her. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

"My pleasure, sir."

He turned and left and Athena went inside to clean up for her CAP. She had a lot to think about.

Athena flew her CAP positioned around the Gemenon Traveler, having been ordered to keep it isolated from the rest of the fleet. During the early hours of her flight, the message had gone fleet wide to separate each of the ships in the fleet by no less than 500 klicks. As Athena thought about the orders, she realized that it could only mean that there was a bomb threat upon one of the ships and the Commander wasn't taking any chances. To lose one ship to a bomb would be a tragedy, but to lose a cluster of ships would be a monumental disaster.

The one good thing about flying a CAP was that in normal circumstances the time was devoted to nothing but thinking. She could fly a Viper in her sleep so, for her, CAP shifts were time to organizer her thoughts, review her feelings, and think about Lee and what had passed between them the night before. She tried to keep that last one to a minimum, because thoughts of him tended to pull her way too far out of her job. She needed to at least _see_ the Cylon ships if the jumped in front of her!

She went over and over in her head the repercussions of the Commander's request for her to put together some ideas on fleet relationships. She had to get him something useful, and something that addressed the possible difficulties. For instance, while a female Viper pilot could certainly be in a relationship and even marry, being pregnant was completely out of the question. The Viper during takeoff and combat maneuvers pulled too many Gs for an unborn baby to endure. Flying a Raptor would be possible until the end of the pregnancy, but safety issues for the mother, baby and passengers of the ship made her think it wouldn't be a good idea. All in all, pregnancy and being a pilot simply did not mesh.

However, she couldn't help but think that strong relationships could only enhance the fleet. What she felt for Lee made her better in all that she did. Though she was always careful and conscientious in her work, actually knowing Lee might be out in one of her vipers made her all that more careful. The only problem she saw was that when relationships went sour amongst co-workers, it made problems for the entire unit. The relationships that were solid and committed strengthened the unit, but the ones that were fleeting or non-committed had the potential to add a dangerous dimension into the mix of personalities.

The long-time ban against superiors being in relationships with people of lesser rank, depended entirely upon the specific situation. Galen and Sharon's relationship, were it conducted in the open, would cause no problems that Athena could see. Sharon did not directly supervise Galen, and had no power over how he did his job or whether or not he advanced in rank. People in different military units having relationships would also have negligible impact, but unfortunately Athena could see that relationships such as one between her and Lee could potentially cause problems, should the superior officer have less integrity than Lee. Lee had the ability to set Athena's shifts, adjust her duties, recommend her promotion or demotion, and many other things. The potential for conflict was enormous. Were she in a Commanders shoes, she would be very hesitant to allow such a relationship. The same would go for a relationship between any supervising officer over a staff member he supervised, such as Galen and say, Cally.

Her musings were interrupted by the notification that the CAP could continue as normal, releasing the Gemenon Traveler from isolation. Athena could only assume that the bomb threat had been a hoax and the danger was past. She wondered what had happened between Kara and the Cylon, Leoben.

How strange it must be to know there were so many copies of yourself. Would time and environment make them different, or would they always become the same person no matter what? It was like the issue of separated identical twins who shared the same genetic material, but processed lifes experiences differently and developed their own personalities. It was a strange subject to think about, but then it was a strange, new world in which they were now living.

It was after 2200 hours that Athena's CAP ended and she landed her Viper in the tube. She tiredly lay her head back on the seat as the elevator took her and her ship up into the hanger deck. Another day was complete and she wondered if Lee would be finished with his work in time for them to spend at least an hour or so together. They were only able to catch a few moments here and there when it was only the two of them, which was made harder by the fact that they couldn't be truly alone unless they were in his new quarters. Out in the Galactica they had to act as though their relationship was only that of fellow pilots. And, Athena realized, it was getting harder every day to act as though there were nothing between the two of them.

As Athena made her way through the ship she discovered a rousing game of Pyramid going on in the Rec Room that seemed to include just about every senior pilot except for herself, Lee, and Starbuck. Realizing she was still too wired to go to bed, Athena decided to go looking for Kara. If she were honest with herself, she wanted to know what Kara thought about the Cylon she had interrogated on Gemenon Traveler.

Athena found her friend in the senior officers quarters, standing in front of her locker with a cloth bundle in her hands, whispering a prayer. Athena paused, not wanting to intrude, but made sure Kara knew she was there. Kara finished and looked up at Athena with troubled eyes.

"Are you okay?" Athena asked, stepping forward as the other woman carefully wrapped up the two statues representing the gods of Kobol, to which she had been praying.

"I'm a bit shaky, but I'll survive. That's more than I can say for the Cylon. He . . .Leoben. . . was interesting, to say the least," she admitted with a small twist of her lips.

"I have to admit I was thinking a lot about them. . . the human looking ones. . . while I was on my CAP," Athena told her, moving to sit in a chair near where Kara stood. "I was wondering if different versions of the same Cylon had different personalities, or if they were identical in that area, too."

"Only having met this one, I can't tell you that," Kara answered with a shrug. She took her cane from where it was tucked beneath an arm and moved to sit in the chair next to Athena. "But I gotta tell you, this one was intense. He was tough, gritty, determined to complete his goal-whatever it was-and could not be swayed."

"Are they really so human you can't tell the difference?" Athena asked, frowning at the description her friend had given of the Cylon. He sounded no different that a lot of humans she knew.

"Down to the blood and sweat. Do you know what his greatest worry was?" Athena shook her head and Kara stared at her with a dark expression. "He was afraid that his soul wouldn't get to his God. He wasn't afraid to die. He just didn't want to lose his soul in the process."

"Cylons with souls," Athena mused, thinking seriously about the concept. "Well, why not? I mean, when you think about it aren't we also machines in our own way? Organic, thinking, creating machines, to be sure, but we are a sum of our parts. We can do without a few of them, but you take away some of the critical parts and we cease to function as an individual."

"Geez have you thought about this a lot?" Kara asked, seeming amazed at her friends train of thought.

"Actually, I spent most of my CAP thinking about it. Don't we, as humans, spend an inordinate amount of time trying to fine-tune our bodies, our minds, our skills?" she asked Kara intently, putting into words some of the things she'd been thinking. "What if the Cylons spent the past forty years trying to obtain those very things? What if they managed to do it?"

"Gods," Kara breathed, looking at her in amazement, her own eyes filled with deep thoughts. "There was some weird stuff, too, though. Leoben claimed to know what was going to happen in the future. He said. . . he said we'd find Kobol, and Kobol would lead us to Earth. He also knew things about me that he shouldn't have known."

"Like?"

"He talked about my mother and how she had treated me," Kara admitted softly, her voice trailing off. "She was abusive. She didn't like anything about me and, as a result I left home at seventeen to join the academy. I couldn't wait to get away and make a life for myself that didn't include her. I've never told anyone about this, not even Zak or Lee. How could he have known about it?"

Athena looked at her friend, her heart breaking for her. Having received only love and support from her parents, she couldn't even imagine what Kara's youth had been like. "I don't know how he knew. Maybe he took an educated guess and got lucky. Maybe they had some way of researching us and who we are. After all, they have had access to all our computers and information since well before the attack." She thought a moment longer, focusing on the deeper revelation about her friends past. "Your bad relationship with you mother is why Commander Adama and Lee are so important to you, isn't it?"

"Yeah. The Commander doesn't care that I screw up or have a crappy attitude. He loves me anyway because I'm his last connection to Zak and because I think he sees a bit of himself in me," she told Athena with a tiny smile. "And Lee. . . he's the oldest friend I have. I don't know why he puts up with me, either, but he does."

Athena smiled, knowing full well why Lee put up with Kara's antics and chronic bad attitude. "He looks at you and sees the polar opposite of himself. In a way, as friends, you truly compliment each other. You're the bold and brash one, and you bring excitement and fun into his life, when it otherwise would be very staid and dull. And as for you, Lee is your friend because you know he is as steady and dependable as they come, and he'll always be around to pick you up if you need him. You both fulfill a need in the other," she added with a contemplative nod.

"How do you do that? You're like a frakking psychiatrist, pulling out bits of our minds," Kara blurted in exasperation. "Can you really see so deeply into our souls that you know us better than we know ourselves?"

"I'm no seer, Kara. I've just made it a point to study human nature. Plus, I'm able to look at things from a distance whereas you and Lee are too closely involved," she explained with a smile. There was also the fact that she took the time to look and listen to all that was happening around her and with the people in her life. While Kara, on the other hand, was so busy acting and reacting to what was happening around her, she rarely took the time to try and understand others. "I'm a lot like Lee, but with more flexibility. I look at you and see so many things that I am not and never will be; but I also see that I am many things that you respect and admire. I think that's what has made up friends so quickly. We appreciate each others differences and interesting qualities, but have no wish to be in each others shoes. I like things smooth and calm; you like waves and motion. Again, we compliment each other."

Kara looked at her for a long moment and then shook her head. "I'm gonna hit my rack. It's been a hell of a long day," she admitted with a tired smile. "Plus my knee hurts like crazy from being up on it so much today, and the frakking doctor said I'm done with pain pills. I think he likes to see us hurting."

Athena chuckled as she rose from her chair and opened her own locker. She was tired, too, and it was too late to seek out Lee that night. She might as well get a good night sleep. She stripped down to her underwear, visited the head, and crawled into her cold, lonely bunk. Starbuck had dimmed the lights and the room was filled with quiet shadows.

"AJ?"

"Yeah?" she answered Starbucks soft whisper.

"Thanks. I've never had a friend like you. Its kind of nice."

"Yeah, well you're a trial, but you've grown on me," she teased lightly, rolling over to face the back wall. "Goodnight."

"Night."


	11. Chapter 11

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Chapter Eleven

Return of the Barracuda

DAY 26

Lee was contentedly flying his CAP, one of the nuggets acting as his wingman. As part of the nuggets training, Lee and AJ had both begun bringing a different trainee with them every shift, giving the Newbies the opportunity to see and learn what was expected of them during a typical CAP, plus giving them much needed hours in the cockpit. He was instructing Beehive on their ship-to-ship wireless about what the Viper pilot's function was in a CAP, when a Cylon Raider jumped into their space, not even a hundred kilometers in front of his bird.

"Whoa!" he gasped, immediately arming his weapons and getting ready for a fight.

Almost instantly the Galactica contacted him. "Apollo, Galactica."

"We're on it, Galactica. He jumped right in front of us. His mistake. 'it, Beehive," he added reassuringly over the wireless, beginning to fire upon the bobbing and weaving Raider. "You set him up, and I'll knock him down." He saw a small explosion at the rear of the Raider and then a burst of definite flames. "I winged him. Looks like I got his weapons system," he added as the Cylon abruptly ceased firing. The Raider suddenly flashed and jumped away, leaving the space in front of Lee empty.

"He jumped! Repeat, he jumped away before we could zero him out," he advised the Galactica with an annoyed shake of his head. He had been hoping to give Beehive his first kill on the disabled Raider.

Only a few moments later Galactica was on the line again. "Cylon Raider detected at 8 8 carom 2 4."

"I see him," he replied, as he glanced around and quickly maneuvered to approach and finish off the alien ship. "It's the same Raider. Yeah. . . it's definitely the same Raider. I can see the damage from before." He fired, pleased to see Beehive still in tactical combat position, also firing when he thought he had a shot.

"It's behaving erratically," Beehive commented in a definitely nervous tone, staying firmly on Lee's wing.

"He's jumped again!" Lee shouted in frustration. What was up with this ship? Lee looked at his instruments, trying to see if the Raider popped up again on his dradis. Sure enough, he saw the Raider jump into their space once more in a matter of seconds. "Galactica, Apollo. We got him of dradis, but he's pretty far out there. Take us about three minutes to close to weapons range."

They received orders to close in on the Raider, but not to engage. A Raptor would be launching to try and get as much Intel as possible on the wounded bird. If a Raptor were to keep a scan going on the Cylon ship, odds were they could get some information that could help them down the road. Lee kept track of the oddly behaving Raider for the last 20 minutes of his CAP, remaining until AJ and her trainee wingman arrived to take over the task during their shift. He informed them that their goal was to protect the Raptor scanning the Cylon ship, as well as the rest of the ships in the fleet, and then return to Galactica at the end of their CAP.

Lee climbed out of his Viper and changed from his flight suit into his regulation uniform. He spent the next several hours at this desk, completing the following weeks schedule and making sure that all shifts were properly covered. Since they were still short on pilots and Starbuck was out of the cockpit, that was not always an easy thing to accomplish these days. He had just finished when his phone rang, and D informed him he was to report to the CIC. He walked in to find his father, Chief Tyrol and Starbuck looking at the raw data coming in from the Raptor from which Boomer and Crashdown were scanning the enemy ship.

"Let's not let this thing linger out there longer than we have to," the Commander warned, his face tight with tension. Having a Cylon Raider in their space for any amount of time was a danger, especially when you didn't know what it was truly up to. For all they knew, it was staying in their space purely as a way to lead a larger attack force down upon them.

"Yes, sir," Tyrol agreed, shooting a look of pure excitement at Starbuck. The man was certainly eager to get more insight as to how the Raider functioned, no doubt hoping to use that knowledge to fly the one they had currently taking space on the hanger deck.

Lee stepped forward, subtly letting his father know he was there. "You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Stay on it," the Commander ordered the Chief and Starbuck, and then looked at Lee. The others stepped away to afford them some small amount of privacy. "You have dinner plans?"

Lee looked at his father in surprise. Of all the things he could have expected his father to say, this was not one of them. He couldn't even remember the last time they'd had a meal together. "What?"

"Come on." His father turned and walked away, and Lee followed in bemusement. Apparently, they were off to dinner.

An hour and a half later he found himself sitting through one of the worst frakking evenings of his life! Colonel Tigh's wife, Ellen, had been discovered alive on one of the ships in the fleet. Apparently, she had been brought to the Galactica just this morning and, from the condition of the couple, they had been celebrating most of the day. Colonel Tigh was so pleasant and affable that he could only be drunk. He was never so good-natured when he was sober, Lee thought with disgust. And Ellen went from inane chatter to probing about military issues that were none of her frakking business. She was downing Ambrosia like an old pro, and it was all Lee could do to stay civil.

Lee's attention went back and forth as each individual spoke, but it was Ellen who was the most animated, apparently in her element. The forty-something woman was elegantly dressed and her face was made up to perfection. It was clear that despite the Cylon attack, she had resources at hand. She was pretty enough at first glance, but there was a calculating manner that bubbled close to the surface. She was all window-dressing and no substance. No character. Compared to someone like AJ, she would fade into the woodwork.

President Roslin was also there and she watched and listened incredulously as Ellen dominated the conversation and his father discretely asked probing questions. It was obvious to Lee that his father was highly suspicious of Ellen's sudden appearance. He even sat with a pleasant look on his face as Ellen talked about Zak and asked whether he looked like Adama. Lee was not inclined to be so polite and sat in stony silence, letting the conversation roll around him as his father informed her of Zak's death two years earlier.

"I'm sorry. How tragic, the death of a child. There's been so much death. So much pain," Ellen said in a saccharin sweet voice that held no sincerity. Lee continued to sip slowly at his ambrosia as he tuned out her words. Would this frakking evening never end? "Sometimes its completely overwhelming. I'm sure he was a beautiful boy."

Lee nearly bit his tongue as he jumped in his seat. A foot was stroking the inside of his calf! He looked up cautiously, knowing it could only be Ellen Tigh's foot, to find her studiously ignoring him as she spoke to his father.

"The captain of the Rising Star was a little puzzled as to how you got on his ship," the Commander said with a curious smile on his face.

Lee shifted in his chair, but couldn't get far enough away from her probing foot without being completely obvious to everyone around them.

"I know," Ellen replied with a sad little expression. "I just know some thoughtful soul just rescued me from almost certain death, and put me on the last flight out of Picon."

Lee stiffened and gritted his teeth as the foot actually began moving up to his knee and then further along his thigh. He shifted to one side and clenched his jaw tighter still. He was totally and completely disgusted with the woman's act and her blatant yet secret little sexual foray against him. Her goal might have been to turn him on, but all he wanted to do was gag and run for his life!

"How lucky for us all," the President murmured in a soft voice the reeked of sarcasm. It was a testament to the degree of the couples inebriation that they took the words at face value.

"Yes, indeed," the XO agreed, smiling obliviously at his much younger wife.

"The strange thing is," the Commander mused casually, "no one can recall giving you medical assistance until about a week ago."

"Oh, I know. I know," Ellen cooed sweetly. Lee physically jumped in his seat as her foot actually made solid contact with his penis. "It's a miracle I'm alive."

Lee shoved his chair back abruptly, startling everyone at the table as he leapt to his feet. The President looked at him in concern, perhaps wondering if he'd lost his mind, which wasn't far from the truth. "I think I better clean away some of these dishes." Anything to get away from that woman before he lost his dinner right there on the table!

"You are so sweet," Ellen gushed and the President looked up at the ceiling as if praying to the gods for patience.

Lee removed the plates from in front of his father's guests, frowning as Ellen probed without subtlety about the location of Earth. He sat back down again, this time keeping his chair far enough away from the table to keep safety out of her reach. No woman was going to touch him in such a manner without his express consent if he could help it! He found his mind wandering toward AJ and hoping her CAP was uneventful. She was out there with the damaged Raider and he was worried about her. And the rest of the team, as well. He did not have a good feeling about allowing _any_ Cylon ship to fly within the same area as the fleet.

"Boo!" Ellen cried out sharply, startling Lee out of his far away thoughts. He had no idea what the conversation had shifted to while he was woolgathering. He looked at his father's stony expression and wondered at the mans seemingly limitless patience. "Did you see their faces? You are _too_ easy!" Ellen screeched with laughter.

His father stood quickly, a smile on his face. "Thank you so much for coming. All of you. Its been a wonderful evening." Lee stood with a huge surge of relief, the others soon following suit.

"Thought it would never end," Tigh joked with a broad grin at the Commander.

"I seem to have lost my shoe," Ellen said with a laugh as she stood on lop-sided legs, the alcohol she'd consumed and her missing high heel making it difficult for her to stand without swaying wildly.

"I think it's right here," Lee stated, striving to keep the sarcasm out of his voice as he picked up the stray shoe. "Here we are," he added, leaning over to place the shoe on the floor in front of her and held it while she slid her foot into it.

"Thank you," she murmured and Lee stiffened as he felt her grab a handful of his ass. He discretely removed her hand and stepped away, moving toward the President for safety. He truly had thought this evening would never end!

Everyone was oh, so, polite until the drunken couple were out the door with an extra bottle of Ambrosia and the Commander closed the hatch behind them. The three of them stood, simply looking at one-another. Lee actually felt shell-shocked. Being out in battle against Cylon Raiders hadn't been this difficult!

"You actually think that woman is a Cylon?" President Roslin asked in disbelief.

Lee sat down and picked up his drink, suddenly discovering that he _really_ needed it. "Well, if shes not, then we're all in a lot of trouble."

"The scuttlebutt was that she slept with more than half the fleet while Saul was in space," the Commander informed them, sitting down tiredly across from Lee.

"Then why the hell did he stay married to her?" Lee asked, not comprehending how a man could be so frakking stupid.

"Its obvious," the President replied with a shrug of her shoulder. "He loves her deeply."

The Commander nodded his agreement. "Blindly. Ellen used to encourage the worst instincts in this guy. Bring out this self-destructive streak in him."

"Used to?" Lee quipped lightly, having seen tonight that none of these issues were even slightly in the past. She was still a barracuda, and Tigh was still blind when it came to his wife's faults.

They all looked at each other is combined dismay and then, as one, began setting the dishes on a tray as they cleared the table.

After a lethargic and fruitless conversation about what to do about Ellen Tigh, the three of them ended up in Doctor Baltar's office to see if he had finished running Ellen's blood to determine if she was a Cylon. At this point, Lee was truly hoping she was. He'd love to see her vented out an airlock, for his sake as well as the XOs. He may not like the man, but he'd wish a wife like Ellen on no one!

"Look, it's not magic. It's science," the doctor explained to them with a tone of frustration. "If you want the right result, you have to wait a while."

"I gave you her sample this morning!" the Commander said sharply, his frown making his displeasure more than apparent.

"I have started and stopped the test twice already now. So now I'm running just a little bit behind," Baltar said with his own tone of sarcasm.

"Twice?" the Commander and Lee challenged almost at once.

"My fault!" the President said quickly, raising her hand to get the Commander's attention. "Long story."

"Your fault?" Adama repeated, his tone a combination on anger and puzzlement.

Baltar shot an apologetic look toward the President. "Oh, I probably shouldn't have mentioned that."

"No, you probably shouldn't have," the President repeated dryly, looking at the Commander with trepidation.

"Did you tell him to stop Ellen's test?"

"Yes, I did."

Lee watched the interplay between his father and the President, wondering what in the hell was going on. This night was going from bad to worse! There was clearly some sort of power play going on between the two of them, and he decided he would keep out of it unless he had no other choice. He was already stuck in the middle of the two leaders way more often than he liked.

"Why?"

"Well, I have some concerns."

"About what?" the Commander demanded angrily.

"In all honesty, I think it's fair to say that your behavior recently has been odd," she retorted with her own anger level apparently rising. She was probably the only other person in the fleet that could match his father with pure stubbornness and grit.

"My behavior? What? Do you think I'm a Cylon? _Me_?"

"You can't deny that you've been making these what do you call them? Off-log calls, and these mysterious trips off ship," she argued, her eyes locked on the Commander defiantly.

"Where did you hear that? Have you been spying on me? On my own ship?" he yelled, his eyes boring into the President and his jaw locked with the intensity of his anger and hurt.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please," Baltar asserted as he stood and held his hands up in a feeble attempt to stop the President and Commander from continuing their angry tirade. "We're in a laboratory. There are hazardous chemicals and compounds everywhere. That's a thermo-nuclear bomb, for fraks sake!"

"What do you mean _unlogged_?" Lee asked his father with concern, ignoring the doctor. It was completely against military regulations to do anything of that nature without noting it in the logs. Even if it's only in the Commander's private log. By avoiding the logs, it was almost always considered a sign of guilt or wrongdoing. "Mysterious trips? What's going on?" he demanded, looking at his father in actual alarm.

"I had to go to the Rising Star and I didn't want Tigh to know about it," his father admitted gruffly.

"Why not?" Lee challenged, knowing there had to be more to it than that.

"Because whether or not his wife is a Cylon, she's nothing but trouble, and I wanted to keep her away from him as long as I could," he informed them both wearily.

"Then why did you bring her aboard the ship?" Lee demanded, wishing to hell his father had left her where she was. She was at best a loose cannon, and her behavior could prove to be the undoing of the already unstable Colonel Tigh.

"Because she's his wife," the Commander acknowledged sharply. "And I couldn't refuse her access to her own husband without causing suspicion. Besides, I wanted her close to me."

"I told you!" a strident female voice broke in, and Lee looked up in dismay to see the XO and Ellen standing just inside the threshold of the doctor's office. "I told you he wanted me!"

"Oh, lovely," Baltar quipped with a roll of his eyes.

"No! Yes! But it's complicated," the Commander shouted, as flustered as Lee had ever seen him. The old man rarely ever raised his voice, and now everyone was shouting at each other like some crazy comedy movie.

"I told you," Ellen said to Tigh, victory in her eyes. "He's been after me for years."

"What?" Adama responded, his eyes expressing his shock and revulsion at her words, and Lee knew that a woman like Ellen would never even slightly tempt his father. If he had any understanding of his father at all, it told him that here was a woman the old man came damn close to hating. She was the means of the destruction of his oldest and dearest friend, and he would not accept that without hard feelings.

Ellen smiled shrewdly and crooned, "Now boys, boys don't fight over little old me."

"Ellen, be quiet," President Roslin snapped, her patience with Ellen obviously ending.

"You don't tell me what to do!" Ellen yelled drunkenly in response, taking a threatening step toward the President.

Lee stepped forward, holding his hands up. Everyone except Baltar and himself were yelling at each other and nothing was being accomplished. "I think we should all take a deep breath!" Lee stated firmly, using a calm though loud voice. Things were way frakking out of hand!

His father looked directly at Tigh. "I was afraid that she might be a Cylon! I brought her blood here to have it tested."

"That's why you cancelled your test," Tigh stated, understanding dawning in his eyes.

"How did you know about that?" the Commander asked, puzzled.

Tigh turned and looked accusingly at the President. "You didn't tell me he was testing my wife!"

"You met with the President?" Adama asked in dismay.

"Yes," his friend admitted openly, his eyes locked with the Commander. "She thought you might be a Cylon." They stared at each other for a long moment and then turned as one to glare at the President.

"I know," the Commander disclosed, his voice finally calming once more.

Before anything else could be said, the public address system requested that the Commander, the XO and the CAG report to CIC. The three of them looked at each other in silent communication, and headed for the door. Something a lot more important than their collective mistrust and misunderstanding was apparently happening.

President Roslin could take control of Ellen Tigh. Gods help her.

xxxxx

AJ had finished her CAP and landed promptly at 2200 hours, nugget in tow. She climbed stiffly out of her Viper and found herself relieved that the day was finally over. It had been a long one, and she was ready for some one-on-one time with Lee, regardless of how late it was. They needed to talk about what had happened between them in his quarters two nights ago. But before she could even leave the flight deck, the buzzers sounded and Condition One was set within the fleet. The Alert Fighters were ordered to launch and Athena waited to see who was on Alert duty.

Four pilots came hurrying down the corridor and headed for the ladder that led down to the lower level where the Alert Vipers were kept ready for emergency use. The next to the last pilot slipped on one of the steps and fell the last six or seven feet down the steps, knocking over the pilot ahead of him. When they picked themselves up, one of them had apparently broken an arm.

"Frak!" the pilot yelled in a combination of pain and frustration. He knew he would be unable to fly that night, or any other night for several long weeks.

"I'll go," Athena told him with an understanding nod, and headed for the remaining fighter. She climbed in, gave him a wave and got her mind back in the game. No matter how tired you were, launching with the Alert Fighters was an exhilarating moment for a combat pilot. You knew you were going out into a situation where you had to be at the top of your game or you would almost certainly die. She was the second Viper out of the tube and immediately checked her dradis for the threat.

"Galactica, Hotdog," the young pilot's voice came over the wireless. "The Raider just took off! He doesn't look injured at all to me. He's heading back toward the fleet!"

Action Stations were set on the ship, and Athena realized that the damaged Raider had just become a very real threat to the Galactica. They received orders to destroy the Raider before it could crash into the Galactica. Depending upon where it hit, the Raider could do very real damage to the battlestar. Athena and her wingman flew around the Galactica in the direction of the Raider appearing on their dradis. Yep. It was on a direct collision course with the Galactica.

All four vipers fired upon the Raider at once, and it exploded only a few kilometers away from the Galactica. As the senior pilot, Athena opened her radio frequency. "Galactica, AJ. Raider destroyed."

"Very good. Alert Fighters return to Galactica."

"Let's go home guys," Athena said over her wireless. "The fun's over and it's been a long day."

"So, Captain Adama, how was your dinner?" Athena asked Lee less than half an hour later as he entered his quarters. She had heard the skuttlebut that the Commander had been entertaining and had been reading on the couch awaiting his return, and hoping for a chance to talk. He was in his dress grays and looked even more handsome than usual. Plus, his hair was tousled and messy which, in her opinion, only added to his appeal.

"Frakking crazy!" he informed her bluntly, his tone sharp. She frowned and rose to put her arms around him, but he held up a hand to stop her as he stepped backward. "I need a shower before I touch you."

She threw back her head and laughed at his words. "It was _that_ bad?"

He stared at her with upraised eyebrows for a moment and then began to undress. He hung his uniform up, walked into the small head and away from her view before stripping off his underclothes and stepping into the shower.

"Okay. Tell me everything!" she ordered as she heard him enter the tiny shower. She waited until she knew he was safely out of sight and then sat on the closed toilet seat and waited, her curiosity piqued. The water started running and Lee moaned with pleasure.

"She _groped_ me, AJ! The XO's frakking wife groped me during diner," her repeated angrily, his voice filled with both disgust and disbelief at the boldness of the woman.

Athena absorbed his statement as she listened to Lee washing in the light spray of water. Her first thought was that she didn't know the XO even had a wife; and then she began to get a bit angry that the woman had put her hands on Lee.

"While you were eating dinner?" she asked loudly, making sure he could hear her over the noise of the running water.

"Yeah. We had just finished eating and suddenly there is this bare foot stroking my leg. She didn't even miss a beat and kept on talking to my dad and the President. Then, all the sudden she has her foot between my legs and I almost choked on my Ambrosia!"

Athena fought the urge to giggle as she tried to picture the occurrence and Lee's shock at the womans brazen actions. If she knew anything at all about Lee, it was that such blatent and brazen behavior would have the opposite effect of what the woman had intended. "What did you do?"

"I jumped up and started to clear the table. I didn't know what else to do," he admitted as he turned the water off and held a hand out for her to give him the towel hanging next to the shower stall. He stepped out with the towel wrapped around his hips and she watched the play of his water-slicked muscles with appreciation. He was truly a magnificently built man and, here he was, alone with her. She shook her head to clear the errant thoughts.

"Wow. Then what?" she asked, running the unexpected scenario through her head.

"Things were okay for awhile after that until they were leaving and she said she had lost a shoe. Of course, it was under _my_ chair, so I picked it up and leaned over to put it on the floor in front of her. Then the bitch grabbed my ass!" he added in a horrified voice. "No one else saw, thank the gods, but trust me I got as far away from her as I possibly could!"

Athena giggled, unable to help herself. Lee shot her a disgusted look and strode out of the head. She gave him a few moments to get decently covered and then walked back to the couch and sat back down. He just stood there scowling at her, standing there in only his boxers with his arms crossed upon his chest.

"Sorry! I don't know what to say," she protested, trying to stop grinning. It wasn't what had happened that was so amusing, but Lee's reaction certainly was. "I'm sorry! It's just so funny hearing you tell what happened!"

Lee just stared at her, still not moving a muscle. Apparently, he didn't appreciate her response and wasn't finding anything about the situation the slightest bit funny.

Athena cleared her throat. Okay. She could do this. "What I mean is that I'll just have to go and beat the crap out of her for laying her hands-and foot-on you. The bitch! I don't share my man." She fought to keep her expression steady as she teasingly said the words he had apparently been waiting to hear.

"That's more like it," he growled as he knelt down on the floor in front of the couch, positioned so that his body was wedged between her knees. "I've been thinking a lot since we kissed the other night, and there's only one woman I want touching me."

"Lee" Athena hesitated, her body stiff as her uneasiness threatened to overwhelm her. But the fact was that deep inside, those were the words she wanted to hear from him. Then the rational, practical side of her thought about the many things that could go wrong if they were to truly initiate a relationship beyond that of friendship. The internal conflict set her heart racing as she tried to calm her rampaging thoughts.

"Are you afraid of me?" He rested his hands lightly upon her thighs, leaning toward her with his eyes fixed upon her face.

She smiled at the absurdity of her ever fearing him and looked directly into his eyes, relaxing as she took in the seriousness of his expression. He wasn't taking any of this lightly either. "Of course not. I want to be the one touching you, but I'm not sure I'm ready to go there just yet," she admitted, feeling more than a bit vulnerable. It was such a major step to take. She reached up and stroked the side of his roughly whiskered face. "There are so many things to consider."

"Do you want me?" His breath was warm on her wrist as he brushed a kiss along her sensitive skin.

Athena sighed, shivering at the response from her body to that simple little touch. How could she possibly not want him? She let her hand drop onto one of his where it still encased her thigh. "Of course I want you, Lee. But you are my superior officer and. . ."

"What would it do to our friendship?" he asked, finishing her thought as his hands gently squeezed the muscles of her thighs. His eyes never left hers, as if he were trying to read every nuance of her expression along with her words.

"Will it destroy it or make it stronger? I just don't know, Lee," she admitted with a small sigh. Right now she wanted him desperately, but she wanted him for the long run, not just a few weeks or months. And she was afraid to speak those words. Afraid he wasn't looking for a forever kind of relationship. "We've only known each other such a short time."

"We can _what if_ all night long," he stated, exhaling with barely held back frustration. A frustration she recognized because she felt the same way.

However, she knew he wasn't truly sure what he wanted, much less what she did. Did he, deep inside, think she was Athena? Or did that not matter anymore now that he had gotten to know AJ? Did he want her enough to risk everything? Not for only himself, but for her? They would be breaking the regulations on fraternization in a big way, and he wasn't the rule-breaker type. Neither was she. Lee reached out and took her trembling hands in both of his, pulling her out of her thoughts and back to the man kneeling before her. "I know we could. But, Lee. . . There are things in the past"

He shook his head. "Other lovers don't matter."

Athena snorted lightly and pulled her hands away as she shook her head. "There have been no _other_ lovers," she stated simply, her eyes vulnerable as she looked up at him and took in his expression. She knew at that moment that he truly didn't know she was Athena from Colonial One, but assumed she meant she had never had a lover. Which was, when she thought about it, pretty close to the truth. He crossed his arms and frowned lightly as he processed her words.

"We should think long and hard before we move forward," he agreed, though his hungry expression told her that he wished he could put everything aside and simply carry her over to his bed. But it was a testament to the type of man he was that he would put her and her uncertainty before his own desire.

"Yes. We should. Because you need to understand something about me, Lee," she stated quietly, knowing that in order to avoid future pain, she had to speak her mind now and take the risk of his rejecting her. "I am not the sort of person who is able to casually jump into bed with a man. . . no matter how much I desire him. I've heard its different for men, but for me, love is a critical aspect. If I climb into that bed with you, I can tell you right now that it will be because I love you. There are no half measures for me. Any relationship I build won't be short term or just for convenience. So, you need to think about _that_ before you push."

Lee looked at her for a full minute, his face unreadable as he mulled over her words. Athena was beginning to think she had revealed too much when he finally smiled lightly. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me about you. I also want to be entirely honest with you, AJ. I'm not _absolutely_ sure what I feel," he added carefully, his hands reaching out and taking hers in his. "I've never been in love before-not really-so I don't know what to look for or what to expect. Whatever it is I'm feeling for you is new and different for me, so I'm still good with the take it slowly approach we talked about. Okay?"

Athena nodded, unable to speak for a moment. He brought both her hands up and kissed her knuckles. "We'll have to be careful," she whispered, thinking about the fraternization regulations. She didn't want to find herself in Chief Tyrol's uncomfortable shoes. Lee nuzzled his way up the inside of her arms and then to her neck, his lips soft and warm against her skin. "In public"

"Captain and Lieutenant," he agreed, the tip of his tongue tracing the line of her jaw. "But in here-in my quarters-we can be alone."

"Gods!" she breathed as he brought his hands up and lightly traced the outline of her distended nipples through her shirt. Her back arched instinctively, pressing her breasts into his waiting hands. "You're driving me crazy!" she admitted as he nipped at her ear with his teeth and then lightly sucked on her earlobe. "You know that, right?"

"That's my plan," he admitted with a low chuckle that tickled her skin. "Then, when the time is right" His lips claimed hers at the same moment he leaned into her, his body pressing her fully back into the couch. She could feel the fullness of his erection against the vee of her legs, and felt the same ache of desire she'd experienced with him those long weeks ago.

"Lee!"

He kissed her tenderly before he pulled away and knelt in front of her, only their hands still touching. "That's enough for tonight, I think."

"You're such a tease!" she protested, grinning weakly. Her body was hot and aroused and the last thing she really wanted was for him to stop what he'd been doing. Right now. . . if he pushed. . . all her words and good intentions would be out the window. Athena was discovering that she was weak-willed when it came to denying herself the pleasure she knew he would bring them both.

He just grinned back at her, his blue eyes sparkling with the knowledge that she would be his if he chose to take her along that path. "I want you to want me as badly as I want you-without reservations. So, if I have to tease, then so be it. Just consider this the beginning of some really great foreplay!"

Athena chuckled despite the seriousness of the situation, and reached her hand out to stroke along the curve of his neck. "I need to go. Its late."

"Yeah. You'd better. Despite my good intentions, my control might not be completely trustworthy," he admitted with a wink, rising and pulling her to her feet by a hand. "Goodnight, AJ."

"Goodnight, Lee," she replied, letting him walk her the short way to the door. Before she stepped across the threshold, she leaned into him and kissed him lightly, her hands upon his bare chest as her tongue traced the line of his lips. "Sweet dreams."

"Now who's a tease?" he growled, giving her a gentle push out into the corridor and shutting the hatch softly.

xxxxx

The same group from the night before met in Dr. Baltar's lab the following morning. Lee made sure he was standing next to the President at all times in an attempt to avoid any direct interaction with Ellen Tigh. It was completely apparent to him and everyone else that Ellen disliked the President _almost_ as much as President Roslin disliked her.

As the Tighs, Baltar and the Commander made their peace, the President pulled Lee off to one side to talk. "I haven't had a chance to talk to you privately for some time," she remarked with a small smile. "We tend to go from one crisis to the next these days. I just wanted to ask you how AJ is adjusting to life here on Galactica. I'm sure I remember you telling me she had given me as a sort of reference, so I'm sure you remember that we were family friends."

"AJ told me about her father, so you don't have to dance around the subject. And she's doing very well," he answered with a smile of his own, his thoughts flashing briefly to his discussion with AJ the previous night. If the President only knew! "She has become one of my strongest pilots, helps regularly with the nuggets, and is a very fine mechanic when it comes to Vipers. I honestly don't know what I'd do without her," he added candidly, knowing AJ would be touched to hear that the President had asked about her.

"I'm glad she told you about her father. It makes it easier for me to know what to say to you without accidentally giving away something she didn't want to openly talk about. Please give her my best," the President added, looking back over at the other people in the room. Lee followed her gaze to find that his father, the XO and Ellen Tigh were chatting like the best of friends. Dr. Baltar was spinning in circles in his chair, his head tipped up to the ceiling in a strangely dreamy manner.

The man was definitely strange, Lee thought, agreeing with Athena's opinion of the doctor.


	12. Chapter 12

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Chapter Twelve

Crisis and Confidence

DAY 36

Lee stood with his father, Colonel Tigh and Starbuck at the tactics and planning table. The fleet was dangerously short of the tylium ore they needed to fuel their ships, and the only nearby source was on an asteroid that was discovered to be crawling with Cylons. The Cylons had a mining and refinery plant there and it had fallen to himself and the XO to come up with a plan to take it from them. Lee had been explaining their plan to Starbuck, whom his father had unexpectedly brought in to assist the planning.

"And that will allow the attack force to wipe out these installations here," Lee stated as he moved the Viper models on the tactical planning map. He looked up at his father to gage his reactions to the plan but both his body language and expression were completely unreadable. "Now, if we do it right, there will not be any Cylon survivors and the asteroid will be ours."

His father looked at Kara. "What do you think, Starbuck?"

"Its a textbook perfect plan, which is why it won't work," Kara replied bluntly with her eyes still on the map, her expression contemplative.

Colonel Tigh chuckled, though his face indicated that he was _not_ at all amused. Not surprising since the comment had come from his nemesis, Kara Thrace. "Of course. We bow to your vast experience in strategic planning. Refresh my memory. What year was it you graduated from War College?"

Kara looked up with a hard expression. Her mood appeared less than pleasant and she didn't seem inclined to take any of the Colonels comments without a counter attack of her own. "What's the matter, Colonel. . . Married life not all you expected?"

"Thats enough! Both of you," the Commander warned in a tone that brooked no further outbursts from either party. Sometimes they both needed a firm reminder that they were on the same side of the war. "We're not gong to win this one by the book. I want Starbuck in here because she's not weighed down by conventional thinking. All due respect, gentlemen, we're not as crazy as she is."

"Okay," Lee accepted with a nod, knowing that for all her lack of formal training in strategy, Kara had a sharp mind and definite unconventional thinking. He was not averse to getting her input, even if her ideas were counter to his own. Whatever it took to get the job done and get back alive. That was what mattered. This was no time to let ego run the show. "So what would you do differently?"

"To start. . . jumping Galactica in behind the planetoid to hide it from the Cylons is an obvious move," she stated thoughtfully, biting her lip.

Lee considered her words for a moment, frowning down at the map with unseeing eyes. Okay. He thought he knew what she was trying to get at. "You think they'll be covering their blind spot with recon patrols."

"I would if I were them. What we need to do is make their patrols part of our plan, you know? Make their tactics work for us."

Lee looked at the XO, who was still silently seething at Starbuck's inclusion in an area he considered his own. Lee hoped he never got to the point where he was so unyielding that he was unwilling to listen to opinions other than his own. They didn't have enough pilots left to risk them on a plan that wasn't fully thought out and tactically sound. He respected Kara's ability to cut through the bullshit and get to the point, and he knew she'd commit herself body and soul to keeping the Galactica and its crew safe.

"Here's what I would do," Kara stated confidently, stepping around the table to a better position.

xxxxx

Athena knew there was an op in the works, even before Lee told her about it. The Cylon tylium refinery was the talk of the ship, and rumor had it the upper brass was meeting with the President to get her support for the plan they had devised. Athena had worked in the hanger deck and then flew her CAP, hearing nothing but unsubstantiated chatter on the subject all day long.

At the end of the evening she walked to Lee's quarters to see what had finally been decided. It would be nice to have some time to mull over the plan before they went out, and she was confident that Lee would share whatever he knew with her. She tapped on the door and walked in to find Lee sitting at his desk, no work in front of him. He was dressed only in his boxers and tank having apparently just showered, and was deep in thought.

"Hey, Lee," she greeted him with a smile as she stepped over the hatchway and shut the door behind her, beginning to feel like she was coming home as she met with Lee in his quarters each night after her shift ended. "How was your day?" she quipped lightly, knowing that it couldn't have been as easy one for him. He was a part of the planning team and, in her mind, coming up with a good plan was much harder than actually carrying it out.

"Interesting." He just looked over at her, his face indecipherable. His blue eyes were locked on her face as though he'd been waiting for her to show up.

"Is something wrong?" she asked softly, moving to perch on his desk next to him, her leg lightly touching his bare thigh. She tried to be unobtrusive but needed the physical contact after the day spent apart.

He just looked up at her and sighed, his expression softening as his eyes met hers. He reached out with one finger and traced a line along the side of her hip and thigh. "I have a decision to make. My head tells me one thing and my heart another. Which one should I listen to?"

"That depends upon the particular decision," she answered thoughtfully, suddenly understanding at least part of what was going on inside his head. He was already experiencing one of the complications of adding relationships into the mix with command. "The decision has to do with me, right?"

"Got it in one," he responded with a real smile before biting the inside of his mouth and looking back down at the desktop. "We have a major op in about thirty-six hours. In my head I know that, as one of our best and most experienced pilots, you have to be in on it with me. But another part of me-the part that wants to protect you and keep you safe-wants you here on the Galactica where you'll be in less danger."

"I see," she said with a soft smile, reaching out and stroking his whisker rough cheek tenderly. "And what have you decided? Rather, what has the _CAG_ decided?" she asked with upraised eyebrows. She had always known that their relationship, whatever it ended up being, would cause him some conflicted and perhaps awkward moments, but she trusted him to do what was right. Besides, she knew that her expertise as a pilot would be what made the decision in the end. There were just not enough pilots for her _not_ to be used to her utmost capacity.

"Youre with me, babe. Into the mouth of the dragon," he added with a rueful shake of his head. His eyes closed as she slid over a few inches and put her arms around his shoulders. It was amazing to her how easy it had become for her to reach out and touch him. It was as if she needed his touch to feel complete. He leaned into her body and twined his arms around her waist, the side of his head resting lightly upon her breasts.

"You know, Lee, that I would do whatever my CAG asked of me, but not before I told him what I thought about it," she stated softly, knowing that she had to speak her mind. The fact that she could do so was one of the things that made this new relationship they were forming so special. "I am your friend, regardless of whatever else happens between us in the future. But first and foremost you have to remember that I am one of Galacticas pilots. I have trained hard to do what I do, and I think you'd agree that I do it very well. If there is an op, regardless of how dangerous it may be, I want to be there with you. Beside you. I will always be your wingman in any battle we face together, and you can trust that I will never let you down."

"It's not your letting me down that worries me," he admitted, his hands moving to gently stroke up and down along her back. "I know you'll always have my back and that you'd never let me down. It's the potential of your dying while you have my back that makes me hesitate. I'm not sure. . . what I'd do without you."

Athena sighed heavily and looked down at him with a sad smile. There it was; the inevitable fear one faced when flying and fighting beside someone you truly cared about. "We all die, Lee. You and I both know that, no matter how good we are at what we do, the odds are high that one or both of us could die while were doing our jobs. I don't want to die, and I most certainly don't want you to die. Don't be frightened now, but I'm discovering that I want us to grow old together. But there are no guarantees, even less so now than there used to be. I can only tell you that I believe the two of us _together_ are an unbeatable combination, in or out of the cockpit."

"If I'm honest, it does scare me a bit to think about our growing so close, so quickly. I certainly didn't come to Galactica looking for love," he admitted, his face nuzzling the front of her shirt and hiding his expression from her. "I. . . I'm not as sure of what I feel as you seem to be, and I'm terrified I'll end up like my dad."

"Your dad?" she asked, leaning back and holding him away so she could see his face. The things they were discussing were important and she needed to be sure she understood him completely. And she had no idea why his being like his father would be a problem. William Adama was a man to be respected. Someone you could count on through thick and thin. She'd never heard a word of bad about the man, other than his being considered stubborn when it came to getting things his way. "Why are you afraid you'll be like your dad?"

"He was. . . not a good father, and even worse of a husband," he confided in her quietly, his voice low and sad. He was baring things that were very personal and hurtful to him in his attempt to make sure she understood. "I'm sure he loved us in his own way. . . but he was rarely around. And when he was, he seemed uninterested in Zak and I unless we were doing something particular to _make him proud_. His first love was always the military, and we came in somewhere way down to totem pole."

"I'm sorry, Lee," Athena said, having heard the real and honest pain in his voice and seen it in his expression. He was still dealing with issues related to his childhood and, in particular, his relationship with his father. "I don't mean to make light of anything you felt or went through, but that's all in your past now. Like you told Kara about Zak, its time to set that all aside and do what needs to be done for the here and now. You know that. You're a good man. A smart man and you are _not_ your father. You are capable of doing anything you set your mind to, whether its a particular mission or learning what real love is all about. I have faith in you."

"So. . . you're my wingman, huh?" he asked with a grin, his eyes looking up at her with their usual sparkle of mischief returning. His hands went around her and reached beneath the heavy uniform blouse to begin tugging the back of her tank out of her uniform pants. Within seconds his hands were inside her shirts, spread wide along the warm flesh of her back.

"Absolutely. In the same way that you're my wingman, as well," she told him firmly, making sure he knew that he would not always be in charge of every aspect of their relationship. "As your wingman I will back you in everything you do, and I expect the same of you. You may be my CAG when we are out in the ship, but in this room. . . in whatever we build of our relationship. . . we are equals. And there will probably come a time when you have to show support and back me, regardless of how you may feel about my decisions."

"I have your back, AJ. Never doubt it," he stated firmly. He slid her off the desk and onto his lap, her legs straddling his hips. "So. I'm thinking its time for a little more foreplay. Want to be in charge tonight?" he teased, shifting slightly so she was completely aware of his erection.

"Actually, I think I like it best when youre in charge of this particular aspect of our relationship. At least for now," she added with a chuckle. "You've never let me down yet."

"Gods willing, I never will," he told her sincerely, his lips kissing a path along her breastbone. "Now let's get you out of the heavy uniform blouse. I'm feeling particularly authoritative tonight and I have some interesting maneuvers I'd like us to practice. Game?"

"You lead. I'll follow," she agreed with a grin. "I like learning new maneuvers."

18 HOURS BEFORE MISSION

Starbuck looked at the pictures on the screen in front of them, biting her lip in concentration. The high level of stress was showing on her face, which looked pale and pinched. Athena had found out from Lee just that morning that the doctor had refused to release her to fly the mission, and that her knee was not up to the stress of combat flight. Even with the little she knew about Kara through their budding friendship, Athena understood the angst that decision had to be causing in the other woman. Athena stood back behind Kara and Lee and listened to them talk over the mission. There was an unusual amount of tension between the two of them, and she was trying to figure out what was going on between the friends.

"Keep your ingress low and fast," Kara instructed tensely, her facial muscles tight. "Use the terrain to stay hidden till the last second. Make sure you give the flak suppression unit enough time so they can weaken defenses."

"You don't think I'm up to this," Lee stated softly, his eyes boring into Kara. Athena tried to blend into the wall, deciding it was best to let them work out whatever was going on between them without any outside interference.

"Of course I do. You'll be fine," Kara responded evenly, looking up to connect with Lee's gaze. But her expression belied the words shed just spoken. Her face was troubled and her eyes filled with doubt-and fear.

"You're worried that I'm not going to pull it out of the fire with some high-risk, retina-detaching move the way Starbuck would," Lee said matter-of-factly, no doubt understanding Kara Thrace better than Athena ever would. "Look Kara, I'm sorry youre not suiting up. Because, believe me, everyone would feel so much better, me included, if you were riding along with us. But this isn't an ego trip. This is my job. And don't think for one moment that I will not get it done."

"I hope so. Because we've got one shot. Don't frak it up by over-thinking," she warned softly. Kara looked at Athena with an apologetic smile and walked away, shutting the door firmly behind her.

Lee let out a big sigh and began pacing the room in frustration. "I get the feeling that no one thinks I can handle this mission," he told her bitterly. "For the gods sakes, I've been on more missions than anyone on this ship and they still act like I'm Starbuck's replacement act!"

Athena let out a big sigh of her own. It was apparent to her that Starbuck hated the fact that she wasnt in on the actual mission, and she didnt trust anyone, not even Lee, to pull it off in her stead. In Kara's eyes, no one would be able to do the job as well as she could-not even Lee. But it was quickly dawning on Athena that Kara didn't know or truly understand the real Lee Adama, or she'd have no doubts.

"Lee. You know Kara. Its burning her up inside that she's not going along. It isn't that she doesn't have faith in you. It's that she's afraid. Afraid she's made a miscalculation in the plan. She's afraid of losing pilots. And she's afraid of losing you because of something she did or didn't do." He stopped in front of her and looked at her thoughtfully, his mind processing her words.

"You think?"

"I _know_," she challenged firmly. Kara was one of those people who lashed out when she was afraid, as she'd just lashed out at Lee. And right now what Lee needed was a confidence boost. He was more than capable of handling the mission, but Kara's personal worries and feelings of inadequacy had left him wondering. About the mission. About his capabilities. "You are an exceptional pilot, Lee Adama. You know what has to be done and you know how important it is to the fleet. You _will_ get the job done. _We_ will get the job done. Don't forget, I'm your wingman and we're an unbeatable pair! You won't be going it alone."

He stepped up to her and took her face in both of his hands. "I've never had a wingman quite like you before," he admitted with a playful grin. "I could get used to it."

Athena grinned back at him. "I sincerely hope so, because after last nights maneuvers, I don't think I'm ever gonna let you go."

He frowned for a moment and then his expression lightened as he grinned down at her. "Kiss me, wingman," he ordered teasingly. Before she could respond he closed the distance between them and dipped his head to kiss her passionately, his tongue lightly caressing her lips.

Athena moaned into his mouth, stepping closer still until their bodies were molded together into one silhouette, heedless that they were in a public part of the Galactica. To hell with the rest of the world. Her man needed her and gods knew, she needed him.

xxxxx

DAY 37

12 HOURS BEFORE ATTACK

Lee was sitting alone in the quiet of Hanger Deck One next to his Viper. After hours it was a quiet, peaceful place. He looked at the Viper that had once been his father's so many years before. It was battered and raggedy looking on the outside, but he knew it was in tip-top condition inside, where it counted. He knew that, though she never said anything to him, AJ made it a point to give what was now _his_ Viper her particular attention on a daily basis. It was as though she was trying to take care of him in one of the few ways allowed to her.

Thinking about all she quietly did for him, he hated the fact that their fledgling relationship had to be kept secret. He wanted to be able to walk up to her and touch her, however innocently, in a crowd of people without feeling as though they were taking a risk. He wanted to tell the men who frequently came on to her or watched her with hungry eyes, that she was taken and to back the hell off! He wanted to have the right to bring her to dinner when his father had a get-together like he had when the XO's wife had been discovered within the fleet. And gods, the scariest thing of all was that he was beginning to think he wanted her to someday bear the name Adama.

Funny, how when he was about to embark on one of the riskiest operations of his flying career, all he could think of was AJ. He spent not a moment wondering if he could pull it off; he knew he could and would because his and AJ's future depended on it. But the thought of his and her mortality was what gave him pause. She would not be left behind and, as CAG, he knew it would be foolish to insist on it. She was one of his top pilots, and he needed her on the op. And, truth be told, on the flip side of the coin he found it reassuring to know that they were going to be facing their mortality together. She was a wingman on whom he could depend, and that certain knowledge could be what made him able to do what had to be done.

Lee heard a clank, and turned to see his father cautiously stepping down the ladder into the dark hanger bay. He watched in silence as his father approached to stand next to him.

"Can't sleep?" the Commander asked and then sighed heavily. "I couldn't either before a big op." His father looked at the bird in front of them and smiled. "Mark II. Good ship. Got me out of a lot of tough scrapes. I've got something for you. It belonged to your grandfather. My mom bought it for him when he was in law school." The Commander pulled a lighter out of his pocket and handed it to Lee. "You see the engraving on it?"

Lee turned it in his hands, peering at the writing in the dim light. "Yeah. I can barely make it out but. . ." The lighter was engraved with the name Joseph Adama.

"He was a better father than I was," his father said contemplatively, looking at the lighter in Lee's hand.

Lee looked down, not sure what to say. In truth, his father had not been very good in that role and Lee wouldn't lie to him about it. But lately things had been different. They were beginning to get to know one another. . . and respect each other. And like AJ had said, it was time to put the past and all its mistakes behind them. This was the beginning of a new life for them now.

"Dad used to carry that into court cases. Claimed he never lost, unless he left it behind," the old man informed him with a smile and a fond tone in his voice.

Lee smiled bitterly, tapping the lighter against his knee. There it was. Just when he was beginning to feel hopeful. The reason his father had searched him out. It appeared that the old man was having doubts as to whether Lee was up for the task ahead. First Kara and now his father. Did no one other than AJ have any faith in him? "So, youre worried, too?"

"About what?" his father asked, looking up with the remains of his smile still on his face.

"You know, sometimes it feels like the whole ship thinks Starbuck would do better," Lee stated bluntly, staring off at the Viper. Starbuck was the best frakking pilot on the ship, no doubt, but she wasn't the only one with talent, skills, and the drive to get the job done. He was frakking tired of being compared to Kara Thrace and coming up short!

"I don't," his father said succinctly, the intensity of his gaze telling Lee that he truly meant those words. That Lee had been wrong to jump to the conclusion he had. His own insecurities had made him see something in his fathers words that hadn't really been there. Gods! Would he ever get over his frakking insecurities?

"How can you be so sure?" Lee asked with a shake of his head, watching his father out of the corner of his eye. He knew that he was up for the op, but how could a man who was only beginning to get to know him be so sure of that?

"Because you're my son," the Commander whispered gruffly, emotion filling the words.

Lee lifted his gaze and looked directly at his father for the first time. They stared at each other intently for several long moments, until Lee was convinced his father was sincere in his words. Then Lee sighed heavily. . . a combination of longing, relief and bone weariness.

"Get some rest," his father ordered him, stepping back a few steps and placing a hand of the ladder. "You're going to need it."

Lee smiled as the old man walked away. Once again he was hopeful. If there was hope for his and his father's relationship, then there was hope for everything else.

"Dad?" he called out, holding up the lighter in one hand. "I'll bring it back."

"You better, or I'll kick your ass," the old man threatened as he began to climb the ladder. "It's a good lighter."

Lee watched his father disappear and smiled again at yet another conversation between them had ended amicably. They were doing pretty good these days at the communication thing. He sighed heavily. It was time to get back to his quarters and get some rest. They had a big day ahead of them tomorrow.

Lee walked into the dimly lit cabin, not sure if hed actually be able to sleep. He quietly began undressing and was down to his boxers when he heard a rustle from the bed.

"I hope you don't mind, but I thought we'd both do better with company tonight," AJ stated softly from the darkness. "I needed to be with you. I hope I'm not overstepping my bounds."

He smiled at her hopeful tone and sat down on the edge of the narrow bed. "No. I'm glad youre here. I was. . . not looking forward to the night."

"The night before an op can be tough," she agreed, reaching out and pulling him down beside her. She snuggled up against him, her head resting upon his shoulder. She lightly kissed him on the curve of his neck and sighed heavily.

"We're just sleeping," he told her as he tucked his arm under her head and pulled her closer. He pulled the light blanket up to cover them both.

"Tonight, at least," she murmured sleepily. "Tomorrow we celebrate. I'm done waiting."

Lee grinned at the promise in her words and closed his eyes. Now this was the way to spend the night before a major op, he thought as he drifted off into a dreamless, peaceful sleep.

xxxxx

Athena sat in the dark, breathing slowly in and out in and out. The very darkness was claustrophobic, so she concentrated on her breathing and the fact that Lee was in the Viper tethered right beside to hers. She couldn't see him, but she knew he was there. Before they had shut down their engines he had looked directly at her, smiled, and blown her a discrete kiss. Yes, he was there. She could feel him. He was right there beside her.

The thing about darkness in space is that it is so completely silent, she thought to herself. There is no white noise in space. . . just mind-numbing silence. She and the other eleven Vipers were on radio silence, all power having been cut from their ships to ensure there was no trace of their power signatures on the freighter where they were hidden. Only Lee's Viper had an active radio at that moment, and he was awaiting the command from Galactica to commence their part of the operation. Once that happened he would pop the storage compartment where they were magnetically attached to the freighter and they would fire up their engines and radios. Until then it was simply a matter of waiting in the darkness, alone with one's thoughts.

Athena found herself thinking about the tenderness in which she and Lee had held one another the night before. Both of them were aware that anything could happen on this op, and that time together was precious for them. She did everything in her power to show him how much confidence and trust she had in him. And how proud she was of him.

As she sat alone in the dark she wondered what it would be like to be able to be with him in public. To eat in the mess together. To be able to touch in public without wondering who was watching, and to experience the ease of being known as a couple. It was as if they lived two separate lives. . . one in the privacy of his quarters and one everywhere else. The night before she'd told him she was done with waiting, and it was true. She loved him. There was no doubt in her mind. When they got back they were going to take that next step and become real lovers.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a glow of a light emanating from Lees Viper. He looked in her direction, though she knew he couldn't see her in the dark, and gave her a thumbs up. It was time.

xxxxx

In the darkness Lee received the encoded message for which he had been waiting for the past three hours. "The back door is open," D's voice came crisply over the radio like a streak of lightening in the dark. "Back door is open. Godspeed, Apollo."

He turned on his canopy light and looked over to where he knew AJ sat waiting, along with the other ten Viper pilots. He could only see the glint of his light off her canopy, but he knew she was watching him. He could feel her eyes on him, and he nodded at her in silent communication that he knew she would understand. He popped the cover to the storage compartment in which they were tethered and watched it float away. He powered up his engine and gave a thumbs up in the direction of his team. AJ passed the signal and he saw her Viper power up beside his.

Finally he could see AJ as plain as day, and she smiled at him and gave him a confident nod. When he saw that all the Vipers were lit up and ready to go, he released the magnetic lock that held his ship to the side of the freighter. One by one, the other vipers peeled off and formed six pairs of leaders and wingmen. Lee led the way, AJ's Viper in tight formation next to his, and they descended to the asteroid beneath them. Lee checked his readouts and keyed his wireless radio.

"Initial point in five seconds. Flak suppression unit cleared hot. Okay, let's do this," he said calmly to his team. They were mostly rookies looking to him for leadership, and he was going to do his damnedest to show them what needed to be done. They were all good pilots, though some were raw and inexperienced. They were still the best Galactica had to offer at that particular moment in time.

"Incoming! Incoming!" he warned them as he and AJ began swerving and dipping to avoid the Cylon batteries that initiated fire on them from hidden spots upon the surface of the asteroid. The initially steady flight just above the surface now became a case of dodging bullets and missiles as they continued on toward their goal.

"Weapons free. By the numbers, people," he advised calmly, beginning to fire when he was fortunate enough to actually see a target. His goal was to reach the refinery in one piece, and he spent most of his time maneuvering his Viper in what he knew had to look like an erratic manner. . . but one in which he hoped would keep himself and AJ in one piece. Her Viper stayed at his side and slightly behind as though it was attached in some way, and Lee briefly noted that her flying skills were beyond exceptional.

One of his team was hit by enemy fire and exploded immediately, but Lee didn't have time to dwell on it. They had a mission and nothing could sway them from that goal, not even the loss of people he considered his own.

They were almost there. He could see the target from where they flew. Could envision the missiles firing and destroying the core of the base.

"Target acquired," a distorted female voice he didnt recognize reported. "Tone and lock. Firing."

"Tone and lock," Kat parroted. "Firing."

Lee saw their missiles veer away at the last moment and cursed under his breath, knowing full well what that meant. Their job had just gotten a hell of a lot harder.

"What's got into these frakking missiles?" someone asked frantically.

"They're jamming the guidance systems!" someone else answered.

"Strike two, Apollo," Chuckles replied, and at the same time Lee heard a crash and Chuckle's swear out loud.

"Chuckle's bought it!" one of the female pilots said frantically. "He's going down!" Her transponder signal disappeared as she, too, was shot down by the Cylon batteries. Frak! They were losing way too many of their attack force! Their odds were growing slimmer by the moment.

"Now they've got our other axis zeroed in," Kat yelled in a panic. "There's no way to frakking get close."

"Stay calm, Kat," AJ warned the younger pilot in her calmest voice. High emotions could impede decisions and reactions needed to stay alive. "Keep your head in the game and stay alive."

"We've got to get out of this flak," Lee stated, looking around them for a path. "Let's get down below the deck, down where the target is." Lee led the way through the Cylon fire, AJ glued at his wing. "I've got an idea. Let's take a closer look."

He flew along the deck, scant feet from the ground and then turned his Viper and flew down into a crevice within the asteroid. AJ moved from her position at his side to a safe distance behind him, her Viper mimicking his every move. There was no Cylon fire inside the crevice and ahead he could see the entry to the conveyor tunnel. No, don't do this, Lee, he thought to himself as he sucked in a deep breath. But there was no choice. Success of the mission was vital!

"The conveyor tunnel is clear," he radioed to the others. "I'm going through it."

"You're out of your frakking mind, Apollo," Kat yelled.

"I'm with you, Lee," AJ radioed back calmly, ignoring the doubting words of the other woman. "Let's do this. Kat, you and the others fall back to a safe distance. If we don't do this now, its all over for everyone."

Lee felt a flash of gratitude for AJ's supportive words and her quiet confidence, and entered the conveyor tunnel. AJ remained a safe distance behind him, which was a good thing considering the fact that he had to initiate some major evasive flying to avoid machinery in the tight tube. "Come on, keep it together, Lee," he said out loud, not realizing that he had keyed the wireless that connected him and AJ. "Keep it together."

"We can do this, Lee," AJ responded calmly, her voice sounding almost serene to his adrenaline-stimulated body. He took deep breaths in an attempt to match her calm. "We're the best, you and I. An unbeatable team."

"Oh, lords!" he yelled, all calm leaving him as the tunnel suddenly ended and he hit his brakes. "Don't hit me, baby!" he yelled at AJ, who had braked a scarce moment after he had and had only avoided colliding with him by a foot or two at the most. The tunnel turned upward into what looked like an air duct and they flew out the top, finding themselves in the middle of some strange pieces of machinery. His heart raced like a thoroughbred at the end of a race and his breath came in little pants.

"I think were okay here," AJ gasped, her calm also apparently more than a little shaken by their near miss.

"Okay, were through the tunnel," Lee informed Galactica as he maneuvered in a circle to try and get an idea where they were. "They can't get a firing solution on us. There you are," he breathed as he saw their target. "See it, babe?"

"Got it," she responded. "That's the target Baltar pointed out."

"Okay. We've got you now. We've got you! We've got you!" he chanted, jockeying his Viper into position. "Let's do it!" He maneuvered his Viper over the machinery and headed toward their target, AJs Viper beside him once more. They both dropped their missiles simultaneously, avoiding the suddenly heavy Cylon fire, and then peeled away from the asteroid, trying to get a safe distance from the target before their missiles exploded. Nothing happened for several long seconds, and Lee found himself holding his breath.

"Come on! Come on!" AJ crooned over the radio, apparently with him in thinking it was taking far too long for their ordinance to explode.

Without warning the entire refinery seemed to lift up off the asteroid and then collapse back upon itself. Within seconds the shock wave hit Lee's Viper and he kept a death grip on the controls. After a few shaky moments, his flight steadied out and he looked out his canopy to see AJ grinning broadly at him.

"Ah. . . Galactica, Apollo," he radioed, not taking his eyes off of AJ as he spoke. "Mission accomplished. You can tell Dr. Baltar he was right on the money. It's one hell of a fireworks show. But there's plenty more for us back in the canyon once this place is history."

"Apollo, Galactica. We copy. Good work."

Lee looked out at AJ again and mimed an imaginary radio in his hands. They had picked a radio frequency for privacy before they left and he switched his wireless to that channel.

"Hey, babe!" he called.

"Hey yourself, hotshot!" she responded playfully, the relief in her voice obvious. "We did it!"

"I did _not_ expect you to follow me when I went into that frakking conveyor tunnel!" he told her seriously, still amazed that she had followed him without so much as a word. "I didn't even know if I'd be able to get out of it in one piece."

"How could I not follow you, Lee? I'm your partner; through good and bad, safe and scary. I'll always be at your side," she told him solemnly.

"You're one hell of a wingman," he complimented her with a grin in her direction. "I'm never going to want anyone else."

"Thats good, because I'm feeling a little bit territorial these days," she informed him in her most deadpan voice. "I think I like sharing your bed."

"Gods! And we haven't even made love yet!" he laughed, setting his course back to Galactica.

"We have something to look forward to then," she agreed, her own tone telling him that she was completely serious.

"Let's go home. We've got some serious one-on-one celebrating to do," he told her, blowing her a kiss.

Lee and AJ arrived back at Galactica in time to take out a few of the remaining Raiders that had been fleeing from the battlestar and its defending Vipers. After the skies were clear, she followed him back onto the ship. They were the last two Vipers to arrive and a party was going full tilt when their birds were taxied into the hanger bay. A ladder was rolled up to his Viper and as Lee climbed out, he saw AJ waiting for him a dozen or so feet away. He grinned at her as she made her way toward him through the cheering crewmembers.

She stopped beside him as Starbuck walked up, three bottles of liquor in her hands. She grinned at AJ and then looked appraisingly at Lee.

"Apollo, you magnificent bastard," she drawled. "That was one hell of a piece of flying you did, and I couldn't have done it better myself." She handed him one of the bottles and the other she handed to AJ.

Lee grinned at AJ and winked. "Im sorry, I didn't hear you?" he told Kara as the people around them laughed and cheered. Cally ran up and gave Lee a big hug and then ran off again.

"I said, I couldn't have done it better myself," Kara repeated a bit louder.

Lee took a swig of his drink and grimaced lightly at the home-made brew. He looked at AJ with a grin, knowing she would understand that he had heard Kara the first time, but had wanted to make her say the words again. "Well, thank you." He, Kara and AJ all held their bottles up, clinked them in a silent cheer and downed several swallows of the potent beverage.

"I had my doubts," Kara added in brutal honestly with a little shrug.

"So did I," Lee drawled, looking at his friend and grinning. "I wasn't sure the crazy-ass plan of yours could ever possibly work!"

Kara shrugged again and took another drink, taking his good-natured insult in the manner it was given. Lee shook his bottle and sprayed AJ and Kara both, delighting in their disgruntled expressions as the liquor hit them in their faces. Kara held out a hand with a cigar resting upon her palm.

"You deserve this," she told him with a smile, giving him the traditional pilots gift for a job well done.

He took the cigar from her hand, looked at it for a second and then stuck it in his mouth. He bit the end off, held out his grandfather's lighter, and lit the torn end. He took a long puff and looked up to see his father approaching from behind Starbuck. Lee caught his father's eye and they held each others gaze for several long moments. With a big grin Lee held up the lighter and tossed it to his dad.

The Commander caught the lighter and looked at it with a pleased expression. He nodded at Lee and then shot a smile in AJ's direction, silently acknowledging her contribution to the success of the mission. He moved on without a word, knowing that none need be spoken, and then continued congratulating pilots on their job well done.

AJ gave Starbuck a big hug and handed her the barely touched bottle of liquor. "You did good, Kara. It was a great plan. I'm headed for the shower to get rid of this sticky mess. See you later, Captain," she told Lee with a nod. "Enjoy the party."

Lee longingly watched her walk away and then looked up to find Starbuck watching him with a big grin. "If you don't follow her, youre even dumber than I thought," she quipped before taking another swig of her drink.

Lee took another puff of the cigar before handing it and his bottle to Starbuck, who now had three partially drank bottles of liquor along with the cigar. "Dumb, I am not," he told her with a laugh. "I know where the best party's gonna be, and it's not here."

"Then go to it, Captain."

And he did just that.


	13. Chapter 13

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Chapter Thirteen

Pinheads and Patriots

"Pass the word. Lt. Darr, report to the Commander's quarters. Thank you." Athena heard over the ship-wide Comm system. She rolled out from under Lee's Viper where she had been doing a weekly service and looked around. Now, why in the heavens would she be needed at that Commanders quarters?

Lee had told her that he and Kara were going to be in charge of the President's security detail during the Colonial Day meetings, but that shouldn't affect her. Gods! She hoped the XO hadn't gotten wind of her and Lee's relationship! They had spent every night together since the op on the asteroid and things were going amazingly smooth between them. It was hard for her to even remember what it was like to _not_ have Lee in her life!

"Did you hear the notice?" Galen asked as he walked up to where she still sat on her mechanics sled. "Best move your ass and not make the Commander wait."

"I know. I need to move it, but I was just trying to figure out what it could be about," she told him with a frown as she stood up and brushed off her coverall. "Do you think I have time to change?"

"Frak no! Women! When you're called to see the Commander, you go. They don't care if you've been working on the birds and are covered with a weeks worth of sweat and grime! The Commander knows what you do here for me," he added, taking her arm and walking her toward the corridor that led to the Commander's quarters.

"He does?" she asked, a bit surprised at the Chiefs words. Why would the Commander know that she worked on the hanger deck? Why would he even care?

"Of course he does! Trust me when I tell you that the old man knows everything that happens on his ship. Now get your ass in gear!" Galen gave her a shove down the corridor and shot her a stern look.

Athena made her way to the Commanders quarters and stepped up to the open hatch. As was his habit during daytime hours, the door stood open with a guard sanding at attention nearby. He took his open door policy seriously, and any member of the crew could come see him if they had a problem. She knocked and the Commander immediately called out for her to enter.

She stepped across the threshold and discovered not only the Commander, but also Lee, Kara, and the XO waiting inside. They were all seated in chairs and on the couch, and looked up at her as she walked toward them while offering up her best salute.

"Lt. Darr," the Commander greeted her, rising with a small smile lightening his normally stern expression as he returned her salute. "Please join us."

She nodded a greeting toward the others and sat in a chair next to Kara. Then she turned and looked directly at the Commander. "I'm sorry I'm not dressed appropriately. I was working on a Viper when I heard the call." She was the only one not in full uniform and felt at a distinct disadvantage. Even worse, she knew she had to have grease on her face and no doubt looked as far from being an officer as she could get.

"It's not important," the Commander stated simply, dismissing her concerns with the shake of his head. "Now, to the point. Lee and Starbuck are going to be away from Galactica on a security detail for a minimum of three, probably four, days. The Captain has suggested, and Starbuck agrees, that you would be their choice for Acting CAG while they are gone."

"I. . . I'm honored, sir," she stammered, taken completely by surprise.

"Better you than me," Kara murmured, looking over at Athena with a grin and a wink.

"I spoke with Chief Tyrol," the XO informed her, "and he recommends you highly in any capacity. He says he'd steal you away to run the flight deck if he thought he could get away with it."

"Over my dead body," Lee stated simply, looking over at her with a straight face and twinkling eyes.

"I'm happy to serve in whatever manner benefits the Galactica, but I must admit my first love is flying," she told Colonel Tigh with a genuine smile. "I'll need a little instruction from the Captain on how he does things, but I'm sure I'm up to the task of filling in while hes gone."

"I'm sure you are," the Commander agreed with a nod. "You have two days to work with Lee before he leaves for Cloud Nine. I would like you to spend all that time as the Captain's shadow. I think it best we give the pilots and crew on the CIC the opportunity to get used to your presence in this capacity before you officially take over. The XO will be representing Galactica at the meetings, but I will be here should you need any assistance."

"Thank you, sir."

"Someone will be flying your CAP during the days Lee and Starbuck are gone, so that will give you more than sufficient time to deal with the administrative issues," Commander Adama informed her with a slight smile. "Why don't you give us about an hour and then meet the Captain in his office. He can brief you more fully at that time."

"Yes, sir," she agreed, standing and saluting again. The Commander, XO and Lee returned her salute and she left as quickly as her trembling legs could carry her.

Though she hadn't known what to expect, this particular scenario had certainly never crossed her mind. Granted, of all the pilots only she, Starbuck and Crashdown were full lieutenants, so one of them would be the logical choice for Acting CAG. Starbuck was leaving on the security detail with Lee, and Crash was as new to the Galactica as she was.

So, as she thought about it, the choice did make a certain amount of sense. She supposed Galen's recommendation on top of Lee and Kara's suggestion must have swung things her way, because Lee would never have taken the chance of pulling her into the attention of the XO. They had too much to hide.

xxxxx

"What do you think, Saul?" the Commander asked his friend after AJ had left the room. Lee looked at the XO, curious about his impression of AJ.

"Well, no one had a bad word to say about her, other than the fact that she is a very private person and doesn't share much about herself. The flight deck crew all think she walks on godsdamn water and the few pilots I talked to gave her a thumbs up," the Colonel informed them all.

"Sir, if I may," Starbuck interjected, her eyes flicking to Lee before fixing on the Commander. "AJ is one of the strongest pilots we have, but more important, she's analytical and she's smart. She listens when people talk, she's not afraid to make waves but tries to avoid pissing people off, and she thinks before she speaks."

"Not much like you, then," the XO grumbled, causing Lee to turn his head to hide his grin. Starbuck rolled her eyes but ignored the Colonel. "What do you think, Captain?" Colonel Tigh asked Lee.

Lee had sat quietly through most of the meeting, not wanting his feelings for AJ to sway the proceedings. He knew she could not only handle the job, but do it well. He thought for a few seconds before he replied. "She's well liked, but isn't a pushover. Since her part in the tylium refinery raid, she is even more respected by the other pilots, especially the nuggets, who she'll be teaching in my absence. But most important is the fact that she's well trained, disciplined and damn smart, like Starbuck said. I trust her to do the job and do it well."

"I agree. We'll give her a shot," the Commander said with a nod. "My only concern was her quiet nature. If you think thats a non-issue, then fine."

Starbuck snorted and then looked up apologetically. "When push comes to shove, she's not so quiet, sir. She's reamed my ass a few times when she didn't like my attitude."

"I like her already," Tigh growled with a small grin twisting his lips.

Lee smiled to himself, knowing that the XO would approve of anyone who took Starbuck to task. "My only worry is Crashdown. He is of equal rank, though he's an ECO and not a pilot, and may feel overlooked."

"Understood," the Commander agreed, nodding thoughtfully. "If he proves to be a team player in this situation, then we'll be sure to use him for some sort of trial command situation later. If he causes any problems for Lt. Darr, then we'll know he's not up to the task of leadership."

Lee and Starbuck left together, leaving the two older men still talking.

"Wow. You were frakking quiet in there," Starbuck commented.

Lee sighed. "I didn't want my feeling for AJ to sway the rest of you. If she became Acting CAG, I wanted it to be on her own merit. Not because I pulled strings."

"Ah. . . So you're finally admitting that you have feelings for her? Interesting."

"Kara," he warned, looking around to be sure they were not overheard.

"Well, you and I both know she can handle the job. She's better with people than both of us put together," Starbuck commented with a shrug. "I'm glad to see her get the chance. I want somebody. . . anybody. . . other than me poised to fill the CAG slot when you're not available. I hate the frakking paperwork!"

Lee laughed and they headed in different directions. He made his way to his quarters and went inside. As he'd expected, he found Athena waiting for him.

"Why the hell didn't you warn me?"

"Because I didn't know myself," he answered with a grin. She was sitting in his chair, the CAP schedules spread out in front of her. How like her to be already assuming her new role after only a few minutes had passed. "The old man sprung it on me this morning. I asked that he and Colonel Tigh make inquiries, because I wanted the decision to be impartial. You already had my vote, along with Kara's, but I thought it best to have the XO involved. He can be a help or a hindrance, and I wanted him on your side."

"Are you all right with this?"

"Hell yes!" Lee vehemently agreed, surprised that she'd even wonder. "You're a much better choice for the job than Crashdown. He's. . . ego driven, and you're not."

"Who did the XO ask about me?"

"Tyrol, of course. A few random deck crew and a few pilots. Enough that he was agreeable to giving you a shot," he explained, pulling off his uniform shirt and draping it on the back of the chair. He perched himself against the edge of the desk and casually crossed his ankles. "So. . . are you ready to be my shadow for the next few days?"

"There's nothing I'd like more. Well, almost nothing," she told him with a wicked little grin.

xxxxx

Athena did spend the next two days following Lee wherever he went, asking questions, and meeting the crew on the CIC that she didn't already know. Lee introduced her everywhere as the "Acting CAG" and pulled her into the decision-making process right away. The hardest part was being at the front of the room and the center of attention when it was time for the daily briefing. The most fun was flying their CAP with two nuggets in tow as wingmen. They flew in a four-bird formation and both she and Lee had fun doing a little showing off and trying to outdo each other.

The interesting thing was that, though they spent a full two days together, they were so busy they had very little time to talk about anything personal or non-work related. Each day was jammed full as Lee tried to talk about any eventuality that might occur, until she was tired of thinking about all the what ifs that could happen. The first night she fell into her rack exhausted, wondering how Lee kept up the pace day in and day out. The second night she fell asleep on his couch as she sat reading the personnel files on the pilots in the squadron.

Lee woke her up at about midnight as he knelt in front of her and gently pushed her hair out of her face. "Wake up, sleepyhead," he crooned softly, following the words with a light kiss upon her brow.

"I guess I fell asleep," she murmured, opening her eyes and reaching out to put her arms around his neck. "I don't know how you do this every single day. I thought _my_ schedule was crazy."

"Want to sleep here tonight?" he asked softly, his lips continuing to trace a path around her jaw line. Then he straightened and looked at her with solemn eyes. "I missed you last night. I know you're tired. We can just sleep. But I'm leaving in the morning and will be gone for three or four days and. . . I'm going to miss you. Miss being close to you."

"Yes, I want to stay tonight. And I'm going to miss you, too," she agreed, tipping her head back as his lips resumed their path along her neck. She shivered and looked up at him intently. "What time are you leaving?"

He gave her a final kiss and stood up, pulling her to her feet. "You can have the head first. Kara and I leave at 0700 hours to do a check of the facilities at Cloud Nine before picking up the President. She doesn't have to be at her first quorum meeting until 1300 hours. After that, we shuttle back and forth from the meetings and Colonial One, keeping the President in a safe area as much as possible. Kara and I will be staying on Colonial One, too, for the duration." He gave her the rundown of the quorum meeting schedule and when he and Kara had to be in attendance.

Athena undressed and used the head as he talked, before cleaning her teeth with his toothpaste and a corner of a towel. She stepped out in her underwear and hung her uniform in his closet as he took her place in the small head. "If I'm not to fly a CAP while I'm Acting CAG, who do you think I should spend those hours on?"

"If you run out of things to do you can always go and visit my dad," he suggested teasingly, poking his head out and grinning at her.

"Actually, I just might do that," she responded, catching him off guard. He stepped out of the head clad only in his boxer shorts and a frown. She laughed at his apparent uneasiness at her words. "I forgot to tell you that a week or so ago he asked me to work on revising the regulations covering military relationships and fraternization. I've talked to Chief Tyrol for his input about his crew and I've spoken to both the ship and food services chiefs as well. Plus, I've put together some ideas of my own about pilots. I assume your father has some ideas of his own, which I imagine he'll share with me when we talk."

"Hmm. . ." He hung his own clothes up next to hers and sat on the bed. "How do you and I fit into this proposed plan?"

"Not very well, actually," Athena admitted, turning off the lights and joining him at the bunk. "The fact that you're my superior officer, in charge of my schedule, promotions and duties makes for potentially enormous conflict."

"That's just frakking great!" he muttered, laying back and holding his arm out to her to join him. "So the majority of the crew gets the nod but you and I are off limits. Wonderful."

"Oh, I'm sure we'll work things out," she told him, grinning as she lay down with her head on his shoulder. She lay an arm upon his chest and gently stroked the bare skin beneath her fingers. "And in the meantime, what the XO doesn't know won't hurt him. Same goes for your father in this particular instance. Anything else you want me to get done while you're gone?"

Lee sighed heavily and cupped her shoulders with an arm. "If you feel inclined, you can get the nuggets in the air for a few extra hours on a CAP. Take one at a time as your wingman and put them through the paces. I've been trying to give them a couple extra hours a week on additional CAPs. It'll make their adjustment that much easier once they get their wings and are placed on the schedule."

"Okay," she agreed sleepily, the warmth and scent of his body bringing back her tiredness tenfold. She nuzzled his neck with her face and smile to herself as he held her tighter.

It was going to be a long four days.

xxxxx

DAY 47

The first day of the quorum meetings had gone relatively smooth, all things considered. Lee and Kara had toured Cloud Nine, enjoying the interlude in the sunshine even if it was only simulated. It _felt_ real on Lee's face. Surprisingly enough, the mere appearance of real grass, plants and trees, along with what looked like the light of day made Lees mood feel lighter. He had gotten up, dressed and packed his bag quietly, trying not to wake AJ until he had to. She had awakened moments before he was to leave and the intensity of her goodbye kiss still made his blood hot.

He, Starbuck and the Marines in the security detail had patrolled outside the ballroom as delegates and visitors representing each of the twelve colonies arrived for the festivities. Tom Zarek's presence evoked a lot of strong feeling, some positive and some negative. He was considered a saint or a murderer, depending upon whom you were listening to. So, it was more than a little alarming to hear Tom Zarek nominated that same day for the position of vice president.

By the end of the first afternoon, when the President finally asked to go back to Colonial One, Lee was both mentally and physically exhausted. He sent her back with the Marines while he and Starbuck stayed to try and get a feel for what was going on in the civilian population. They decided upon the beginnings of a plan and went to one of the bars and he sat at the counter while she sat at a nearby table.

The bartender brought him a glass of ambrosia-which he really didn't like-and he sat looking at it for a long moment. Gods! He missed AJ already. Things were really beginning to come together between them, and he hated like hell to leave her. He'd grown used to her presence during the day and beside him in bed at night. At least he knew he wouldn't have a backlog of paperwork when he returned to Galactica. She was one of the most efficient and dedicated officers he'd ever known. Lee took a sip of his drink and sighed heavily, feeling suddenly morose and grumpy. There was yet another radio interview with Zarek on the airwaves and Lee snorted with disgust.

"You're not interested in the citizens. You just want the frakking power," Lee said in disgust to Zarek's smarmy voice. He took another small sip of his drink. "Turn that crap off!"

The bartender obediently turned off the radio and went back to wiping the spots off what looked like an endless supply of glasses.

"Hey! I was listening to that broadcast," a man spoke up from somewhere behind Lee.

Lee glanced at the man and saw the same person he'd had to warn earlier in the day for laying hands on another man who called Tom Zarek a murderer. "You again? What a shame."

"Yeah? Well, they all want to hear Mr. Zarek speak, too," the man protested in a surprisingly calm voice as he turned to the group around him. "Don't you buddy? See? He wants to hear Mr. Zarek. How about you? You want to hear what Mr. Zarek has to say?"

A blond man sitting at a table behind Lee shrugged. "I don't mind one way or the other."

"I take that as a yes. So turn it back on. Now," the man ordered the bartender.

"Leave it," Lee warned, not bothering to look up. If only these people knew the real Tom Zarek. The man who could easily sit back and let a young girl be raped and murdered by one of his own men. A man who liked to add poison, stir the pot, and see what grew from it.

"Mr. Zarek is a representative of the people and we're the people," the man persisted, as Lee had known he would. Lee could do a little pot stirring of his own when he felt like it.

Lee shook his head and sighed, knowing he was going to be sorry later on, but he was in the mood for a fight and this guy was getting on his nerves. _Mr_. Zarek this and _Mr_. Zarek that! The man had no idea what kind of man he was giving the title of _Mr_. to. "Well. . . you're people, sort of."

"You know, I don't like your tone flyboy," the man stated tensely, his temper obviously beginning to flare. He reached over and took Lee's drink from where Lee held it in fron't of him. "Why don't you just move along out of here and go enjoy the imitation weather?"

Lee took another deep breath, preparing himself for what was surely to come, and stood up. "I'd be happy to. . . after you leave. Which is now." he calmly stared at the man who had at least twenty pounds over him, watching to see what kind of a move he would make next. It would be foolish to think he might actually submit to Lee's authority and back off. He didn't seem the type to do things the easy way.

"Okay. Don't want no trouble." He turned away from Lee and picked up his bottled drink.

That was a surprise. Lee was frowning at the man's apparent docile manner, wondering if he was going to have to pick a fight with someone else, and was completely taken by surprise when the man swung his arm and slammed the bottle across the left side of Lee's jaw. Gods! That hurt like a son of a bitch and left him seeing stars for a long moment. He grabbed the beefy man before his vision even cleared and pulled him closer, wrenching his arms behind him. In the distance he could see Starbuck trying to make her way over to help him. However, the black man who had been sitting with Lee's assailant held her back, earning himself the beginning of a beating at the furious Starbuck's hands.

The big Sagittaron got Lee in a bear hug and Lee felt himself lifted off the ground. His arms were pinned and the pressure on his still sore ribs was painful. He saw Starbuck get knocked to the floor and then use her cane on the black man in a ferocious manner. Lee managed to get an arm free and slammed an elbow into the large man's face, knocking him backward into the table. They both ended up on the floor, and Lee made sure he got in every shot he could.

"There's a gun!" Starbuck yelled suddenly, causing another surge of adrenaline to rush through Lee's veins.

He glanced away and saw the blond man that had been at the table behind him scoop up a handgun along with a pile of papers from the floor and toss the bundle into a briefcase. In this moment of distraction, the hefty Sagittaron got the better of him again and pinned him to the floor, one arm twisted painfully behind his back. Lee reached out with his free arm for a bottle on the floor only a few feet away, but he couldn't quite reach it. He was getting the crap beat out of him and there were no reinforcements in sight. "Starbuck!" he gasped, knowing he needed help or he was going to lose this particular fight in a bad way.

Kara was up and on the move after the man with the gun. "Incoming," she panted as she hobbled by, kicking the bottle right into his hand.

Thank the gods! Lee thought, his hand closing around the neck of the bottle. Lee took the bottle and jammed it with all his might into the other man's gut. He was gratified to hear the man groan in pain, loosen his hold, and fall backward. In less than a second Lee was on top, holding the man's shirt in his hand.

"Are you looking for this?" Lee roared, holding the bottle up in front of the man before smashing it against his ugly face. The man became a limp heap as he lost consciousness, and Lee sat panting on top of him.

He could see Starbuck to one side, scuffling on the floor with the gunman and ultimately coming up with the weapon in her more than capable hands. He heard the sound of a cocking weapon, and the room became as deadly still as the darkness of space. They both sat panting for breath, Lee looking at the now even uglier man who had assaulted him and further on at Kara holding the weapon on its owner.

xxxxx

"Commander Adama?" Athena said as she stepped into his quarters. "Do you have a moment to meet with me?" she had decided to finally bring her ideas to the Commander, and he had told her to come by at the end of the day. So, here she was.

"Come in," he told her, and she found him sitting on the couch with a book in his hand. He waved the book at the couch, indicating that she should sit. "I was just trying to relax for a bit."

"I can come by another time," she offered, not wanting to impose on what little free time he had. Athena hesitated by the couch. She remembered her father saying that moments of true peace and relaxation were few and far between for those in positions of authority.

"No, now is fine. Sit, please. How was your first day as the CAG?" he asked, placing a bookmark within the pages and very deliberately closing the book. He sat it down and looked directly at her with a tiny smile, no doubt trying to set her at ease.

"No problems, sir," she informed him honestly. It had been a decent day. The pilots had taken her transition without open comment, having already grown used to the change during the previous two days. Most of them didn't care who was in charge, as long as that person was competent. Athena sat down on the other end of the couch and positioned herself so that she faced the Commander. "I got the CAP scheduling done for the next two weeks, barring emergency complications. I also spoke to each pilot to see what they could be doing on Galactica when they aren't flying. With so many resources being limited these days, it seemed wasteful for them not to be contributing elsewhere when possible. Most of them are capable of at least some deck work at least a few days during the week, and as I'm sure you know, the Chief is short over eighty people because of the explosion during the initial attack. He can use the help."

"Anything we can do to keep Galactica running efficiently is fine by me," he accepted with a genuine smile of approval. "As long as the pilots are allowed sufficient rack time and aren't stretched too thin. Pilots, even more so than other crewmembers, need to have down time to relax, but not so much they get into trouble. What have you come up with on the new regulations?"

"Well, there are a couple levels of issues involved in this," she began, frowning lightly as she thought about what she was going to say to the Commander. "On the lowest level, which involves all the peripheral crew in departments such as the laundry, food services, and maintenance, things are relatively simple. The Services Chief told me that he did not believe relationships among his people would be an issue, and there were already several that had not caused any disruptions. The only problem would be if a person directly supervising another were to become involved with that person. In that case, they should not be allowed to determine things such as promotions and job scheduling, and would have to be watched for signs of favoritism. It would be the same in any other area, as well."

"Agreed."

"When I spoke to Chief Tyrol, he indicated the same thing. He also had no objections to any of his deck crew being involved in relationships with crew from other departments on the ship. Relationships, even marriage, or not a problematic issue for any of the other non-com chiefs. My particular concerns lie with what comes after marriages," she stated with a sigh. This was when it began to get complicated. "Do we have room for married couples to have quarters? And what happens when women begin having babies? While I have no doubt we could set up a nursery and day care, of sorts, the issue of quarters on Galactica would again be problematic. However, is it fair to our crew to deny them the stability of a marriage relationship simply because of accommodations?"

"The biggest problem for me has to do with the pilots. The female pilots, to be exact," she added, not giving his a chance to speak. She wanted all her thoughts out on the table before he offered his opinions or input. "Marriage is not a real issue, but pregnancy certainly is. A Viper pilot often pulls up to six or seven Gs when in combat, and that is not a viable situation for a pregnant woman. Flying a Raptor would be feasible, but not necessarily advisable during the final months of pregnancy. Granted, only about a quarter of our pilots are female, but that would be a significant number of pilots to lose, even temporarily."

"Tell me, Lt. Darr. Do _you_ want to get married someday?" the Commander asked unexpectedly, his expression contemplative.

"Someday, I'm sure I will," she admitted with a smile at his very personal question. He had to at least suspect that there was something between herself and Lee, though he appeared to be the don't ask, don't tell sort of Commander. She could easily reassure him while admitting to nothing specific about her feelings for Lee. "I would like to know that I have someone who loves me. Someone that I love in return and who makes all the struggles and fighting worth it in the end. Someone that makes me strive to fight all the harder so that I can get back home to him. But in all honesty, the idea of having children until we are settled somewhere safe terrifies the hell out of me. I _have_ thought about it. However, right now I am first and foremost a pilot, and it's my responsibility to protect Galactica and the fleet. I'm sure most of the female pilots feel this way in varying degrees."

"I'm sure they do," he agreed with another tiny smile. "Okay. I think you're on the right track. You have echoed most of my own thoughts, and I'm glad you spoke to the non-commissioned crew chiefs. It helps to have a varied group of ideas when it comes to something like this. I have a copy of the current regulations on my desk. I'd like you to take them and make an official revision. Then I want the XO to review the revision and for you to argue your case with him. I can tell you right now that you won't sell him on the idea, but the discussion may bring up things you and I have not thought of."

"Yes, sir," she responded, not looking forward to having to deal with Colonel Tigh. However, if she could get the revision through him, she could get them through anyone. "I'll do that as soon as the XO gets back from Cloud Nine."

"Lt. Darr. . . AJ. May I ask you another personal question?" he asked her in an almost solemn tone.

"Of course, sir." Gods! He was going to ask her about Lee after all!

"What was your relationship with President Adarr?"

The question took her completely by surprise. It was one of the farthest things from her mind these days. "I. . . Umm. . . May I inquire as to why you are asking?"

The Commander looked at her intently, his dark eyes probing into hers. "I heard rumors this past year. I do not normally give credence to rumors but. . . I need to ask because I believe my son has feelings for you, and I'm being an interfering father."

Athena found herself blushing, in spite of her best efforts to keep her emotions in check. She had not expected this particular question, or for him to bring up his thoughts about Lee and her. Well. . . okay. He was Lee's father, as well as her Commander. If she couldn't trust him, she couldn't trust anyone. "President Adarr was my father."

"Your father?" he repeated in obvious surprise. No doubt he'd heard the rumors passed around that the President was having an affair with a female pilot half his age.

"Yes, sir. My mother gave birth to me when she was sixteen. She was from a prominent family in both society and the military and they were unhappy, to say the ,least at her fall from grace. My father was a cadet in the military academy who graduated and moved on without ever knowing my mother was pregnant. My mother had deeply loved my father and refused to have the pregnancy terminated or give me up, despite the pressure from her parents. They refused to recognize me after my birth, so my mother moved out on her own. She worked hard to support both of us and was fortunate to meet and fall in love with a wonderful man when I was just two years old. Eventually, I had two younger sisters and I must confess, my family situation was close to idyllic."

"I'm sure you're wondering what this has to do with anything, so I'll move on to the point," Athena assured him with a nervous smile. "When I was barely sixteen myself, my family moved to Caprica and my mother saw my biological father's picture in the newspaper. This was the first time she had seen his face since before I was born. Thinking that he might want to know he had a child, she contacted him. I have no doubt he was shocked to learn of my existence, and I also have no doubt my very existence caused complications to what we discovered was already a very complicated life."

"My father believed that for it to become known he had an almost grown child whom he had never seen and not supported would be detrimental to his career. However, he did arrange to meet me and our conversations helped to determine the course of my future. I entered the academy on the strength of my grades and aptitudes, and graduated with honors. I went straight to flight school and again graduated first in my class. From there I went to Combat, then OCS and was a pilot based off Caprica for several years before I was recruited into War College. I was due to graduate in less than four months when the President, my father, contacted me. He had come to a point in his life where he knew he wouldn't have any other children, and he wanted to get to know me better. So, he asked me to put my training on hold and switch to a detail where we could be together on a daily basis and really get to know one another. I spent the last six months before the Cylon attack in the company of my father, though we were careful not to let our relationship become public. A byproduct of this was that many seemed to think he was having an affair with me. Which is, I'm sure, the rumor you heard."

"Yes. I'm sorry to have brought it up."

"I'm glad you did," Athena told him with a genuine smile, finding that the Commander was an easy man to talk to. He listened. "I'm not ashamed of my father, though I don't think its in my best interest to have it become common knowledge. There is also something else you should know." At his inquiring look she continued. "General Nagala was my grandfather, though we never met. He never did accept me as his grandchild."

Commander Adama looked at her with searching eyes, and Athena felt surprisingly calm beneath the intensity of his gaze. "It was his loss, Lieutenant."

"Yes, sir. So my mother always told me." Athena bit the inside of her mouth as she thought out what she wanted to say next. "Sir? About Lee? I have come to discover that I care very deeply for him, and I believe he also cares about me. Is it so wrong for us to reach for a bit of happiness in times like these? When things are so tenuous in life, isn't it the people we love who keep us grounded and focused on things beyond mere survival?"

He smiled at her in a genuine manner and leaned back easily in his seat. "That sounds very much like something Lee's mother would have said to me years ago. Yes, Lieutenant, I believe that healthy relationships are part of the glue that keeps us functioning as a society. And we on Galactica _are_ a society. However, it is important to remember that many hard choices may have to be made to insure our survival. Our relationships cannot be allowed to get in the way of those life and death decisions. Never."

"I understand, sir. I appreciate your time," Athena added sincerely as she rose from the couch. She was glad to have had the opportunity to spend some time with the Commander and discover for herself the man behind the title. He had truly listened to her as she spoke, and had treated her more than fairly. It was easy to see why he was so respected by the crew of Galactica.

xxxxx

Lee spent his evening with Starbuck interrogating the gunman, whose name they discovered was Valance. They put as much pressure on him as possible, trying to see if there was any connection to Tom Zarek, but he stuck to his story that he just came to Cloud Nine for the liquor and food.

Back on Colonial One, Lee met with President Roslin and briefed her on the situation.

"We put all the heat on Valance that we could and we still can't connect him to Tom Zarek," he admitted to the President. He was tired, hot and sweaty, and sick of the day he'd just gone through. On top of that his ribs were hurting again and his jaw ached from getting hit by a frakking bottle!

"I know Zarek's behind this. Keep working on Valance," she ordered with a tired sigh of her own. Lee knew that the meetings had not gone as she'd hoped or expected, with the agenda being altered by Zarek and a handful of other delegates to include an election for Vice President.

"We will. But to be safe, I think you should send the entire Sagittaron delegation back to their ships," he advised her firmly, while at the same time knowing she would never agree. Just because something was the safest course, it didn't mean that she would follow it. She was as stubborn in her own way as his father.

"Can't do that," she replied shortly, adamantly shaking her head from side to side. "It violates their civil rights and plays right into Zareks hands."

"But he could still have another shooter on Cloud Nine, and if Zarek wins the vote he's more than capable of ordering your assassination and ascending to the presidency," he warned her, finally speaking aloud the thought he had been thinking to himself all evening. There could be a plan in place to oust, in one manner or another, President Roslin from authority and take over the fleet. It was times like these when Lee found himself half-way wishing they'd gone with Tigh's suggestion and left the fleet behind at Ragnar. It sure would have meant less aggravation for the Galactica, and for him!

"Zarek's not going to win because I'm not going to let him," she informed him confidently. "Meanwhile, you're going to tap his phones. You're going to bug his room. If you find anything that remotely connects Zarek to Valance. . . Shut him down!"

Lee gave her a nod and headed to the quarters he was sharing with Starbuck. Actually, it was the quarters that were shared by the entire crew of Colonial One, which meant it was a busy place. When he walked into the room he looked around and saw only one vacant bunk. . . and it was the one he had shared with the mysterious Athena over a month earlier. Frak! That was not a memory he was in the mood to relive. Half the time he was convinced Athena and AJ were the same woman, and other times he decided she was some stranger out in the fleet. Right now all he could remember was making love with AJ during their own victory celebration. That was the memory he wanted in his head these days.

"Oh, man," Starbuck whined lightly as she caught a glimpse of him standing there staring at the bunk. She had already claimed the upper rack and was lying there looking at him with a frown. "AJ is so going to kick my ass!"

"Why is that?" Lee responded in confusion. He stepped to one side and started opening lockers until he found one that was empty. He looked up at her questioningly as he began to undress and hang up his uniform.

"You have one hell of a bruise on your jaw and she,s gonna blame me for not keeping you out of trouble."

He laughed lightly, keeping his voice down so as not to disturb the crew who were already in their racks, either asleep or trying to sleep. "I think she knows you better than that. She knows full well that its _you_ who usually gets _me_ in trouble!"

"Maybe so, but that sure wasn't the case this time. I thought you were going to get your ass thoroughly kicked by the gorilla you chose to antagonize," she stated with a snort of amusement. "Not a wise choice, my friend. Shoulda picked someone a bit smaller."

"No kidding! Point of fact, I _did_ get my ass thoroughly kicked by the gorilla I so foolishly chose to antagonize," he admitted, reaching up to feel his jaw. He pulled the blanket back and climbed into the bunk. "Looks like you were hobbling a bit more than usual tonight, yourself."

"Hell, yes! The asshole saw my cane and hit me on the frakking knee. So I had to beat the crap out of him _with_ my cane which I enjoyed thoroughly, by the way. So, now that I think about it, thanks for the afternoon of stress relief. You may have just kept me out of hack for another month or two!" she laughed.

"Glad to be of service," he told her with a sigh. He was frakking tired and he'd had enough for this one day. He just wanted to close his eyes, think about AJ, and go to sleep with nothing but her in his head.

xxxxx

Athena leaned back in the chair at Lee,s desk, knowing that she needed to hit the rack. She was bone tired and mentally exhausted, but she couldn't bring herself to get up and go to the pilot,s quarters. She had spent the evening reading and rereading the fraternization regulations before beginning to put her ideas down on paper. She had her first draft completed and now she just needed someone she trusted to read it over for her. Lee would have been her first choice, but not only was he gone, but she wanted to have the project completely written before he, Starbuck and Colonel Tigh returned to the Galactica. She would just have to see if Galen would read it over for her in the morning.

She stood up and stretched before moving to sit on Lee,s bunk. She picked up the pillow and held it to her face, inhaling his scent from the linen cover. Gods, she was pathetic! Only one day apart and she was acting like he'd been gone for a month. It was frakking ridiculous!

With a big sigh she lay down, snuggling the pillow to her chest. She knew she wouldn't be going back to her own quarters for the night. If she couldn't be with him, at least she could be surrounded by his things. Sleep on the bed that contained his scent. Pretend he was there with her. It wasn't good enough by far, but it would have to do.

xxxxx

DAY 48

The day was long and tedious. Lee,s ribs and jaw hurt, and nothing that was occurring in the quorum was exciting enough to take his mind off his aches and pains. To take his mind off the boredom and to see if he could make something happen, he walked up to Tom Zarek and leaned over him from behind.

"Hi. How ya doing?" he asked the surprised man in his most casual manner. "Remember me?"

Zarek nodded, his eyes both startled and confused as he looked back over his shoulder. Lee knew Zarek had to have seen him at the meeting, but he undoubtedly didn't expect Lee to approach him.

"We got Valance. And you're next." Lee smiled at the man who now was looking at him in silent contemplation, and walked away.

That encounter had been the most excitement of the day, which wasn't saying much. That is, until early in the afternoon when he and Starbuck went back to interrogate Valance once more. He had been sitting tied to a chair since the night before and would hopefully be more amenable to talking. Lee was determined that the man would confess his connection to Zarek. They walked into the basement room to find Valance dead in his chair, blood still dripping from his slashed wrists.

Gaius Baltar was speaking on the radio as Lee and Starbuck faced the President, Colonel Tigh and Billy with the bad news.

"His wrists were slashed with broken glass from the room," Starbuck reported to the group in a frustrated monotone. Lee noticed that she was leaning heavily on her cane, and he hoped the past couple days hadn't been too much for her healing injury.

"So was it suicide or was it murder?" Billy asked, looking confused.

Laura Roslin shook her head. "It wasn't suicide. Zarek had him killed."

Lee sat at the desk across from the President, his aching head resting on his clenched fist. Hed had a headache since theyd found Valance dead in the interrogation room, and this conversation wasn't helping a bit. "If only we could prove that."

"How'd they get past the Marine guards?" Colonel Tigh asked, his own frustration apparent in his voice.

"Through the vent," Lee told him, passing on the information he had gleaned from the Marines who checked the room. He watched the President as she began to stare into space, her entire being focused on the blathering of Gaius Baltar who was apparently quite happy hearing his own voice. He tried to pull his thoughts back to the business at hand. "How many people knew where Valance was being held?"

"Just the people in this room, plus two Marines," Kara told him, shaking her head in a puzzled manner. The President removed her glasses and continued to listen to the radio. Baltar was now speaking out for the President and the decisions she had made to date. He was also very severe against Zarek and emphasized the point that the man had been in prison for the past twenty years.

"Well," the XO drawled, totally oblivious to the President's distraction. "Someone talked. And now we have no assassin, no evidence of a plot, no check on Zarek. . . no nothing!"

Lee watched the President, knowing that something major was being processed inside her head. She was never inattentive to people she met with, especially her own advisors, so there was something important going on. "If he can get to Valance, he can get to anyone. Madam President," he stated urgently, trying to make sure she listened and really heard his words. "He will definitely try and take a shot at you now."

"Only if he wins the vote," she stated sagely, turning back to the radio.

Lee listened to Baltar's words for a few moments, finding it hard to connect the intellectual nature of the words he was now hearing to the twitchy idiot Lee saw on a day-to-day basis. It was like there were two distinctly different people. "Madam President, I still worry the vote may be trending against you."

"Yes, it is. But I'm going to win this thing," she added with a sudden burst on confidence, reaching out and turning off the radio and rising from her chair. "And Tom Zarek is going back to his prison ship where he belongs. But first I have two very unpleasant duties to perform. I need a shuttle back to Cloud Nine."

Lee watched her walk away before he turned to give Kara a look that asked if she had any idea what was happening. She shrugged and Lee knew he wasn't the only one left out in the dark. He got on the phone to the head of the Marine guard and ordered a shuttle and four guards to accompany the President wherever she wanted to go.

Lee dried off after his shower, wrapped the towel around his hips and walked out into the quarters where Kara had already begun dressing. Thank the gods this detail was almost over, he thought as he stepped around behind her and removed the towel to begin drying his hair. Today was the election and for good or ill it would all come to a head.

"So what are we supposed to do now? Sit on our hands and watch her get killed once Zarek's Vice President?" Kara asked as she pulled on her socks and boots.

"Zarek's too smart to take another shot at the President during the summit. If he wins the vote he can take her out later." He opened the locker he had borrowed to hold his gear while they stayed on Colonial One and pulled out his boxers. "When everyone's forgotten about Valance. He'll just bide his time to find a better opportunity." He pulled on his uniform pants while Kara finished tying her boots.

"Well that's great," she drawled sarcastically.

"Anyway, she says she's not going to lose the vote."

"She says a lot of things," Kara retorted as she stood to get her uniform blouse out of her own locker. It had a damp stain on one shoulder that Lee couldn't help but notice.

"Don't you think you should wash that?" he asked dryly as she wiped the blouse off with her damp towel.

"I did." She looked at him with the look that silently called him an asshole.

"Like when? A month ago?"

"Do you have a problem with my hygiene?"

"You have hygiene?" he asked in a purposefully astonished tone of voice. Starbuck wasn't the kind of female to worry overmuch about how she looked.

"I clean up good sometimes, all right?" she informed him, shooting him another scathing look as she headed out of the quarters.

"Well, let me know when it's one of those times," he shot after her and laughed when she sen't a rude gesture his way.

xxxxx

Athena sat in Galen's office as he reviewed her revised regulations. He finished and looked up at her with a momentary look of sadness. "Now why the hell couldn't we have had this four weeks ago? Things might have been different for Sharon and I."

"Isn't there still a chance for the two of you to get back together?" she asked, hating the sadness and regret she heard in his voice.

"No. Its over. I can't look at her the same, knowing one of my kids got hurt because of us. We're both better off now," he added with a shake of his head. "But at least you and Lee, and other potential couples will have a chance."

She spent the next half-hour with him, listening to the radio coverage of the quorums vote for the next Vice President. As much as she disliked Tom Zarek and all he stood for, she couldn't make herself like Gaius Baltar any better. One was a mass murderer and the other a dithering idiot who spent his time either talking to himself or chasing women. Which would be the better choice?

The commentators announced each vote and who was leading afterward. Until the last vote, which was tied at six for each nominee, she wasn't sure who would actually win. The tie-breaking vote was cast by President Roslin, giving the Vice Presidency to Gaius Baltar. The deck crew rang with cheers that their very own crazy doctor had beaten the homicidal Sagittaron who had caused injury to one of Galactica's own crewmembers. Athena couldn't bring herself to celebrate. In her opinion, neither choice was anything to rejoice over.

A few minutes later she was back in Lee's office, making the couple of changes that Galen had suggested. She thought she had a well-rounded, functional document put together, and she hoped the Commander would be pleased. A knock at the door roused her from her thoughts and she called out for whoever it was to enter. She shot to her feet as Commander Adama entered, his eyes steady upon her as he noticed the documents on which she was working.

"Sir," she greeted him with a crisp salute.

He saluted in return and pulled out the chair across from her. "As you were, Lieutenant." He sat down and looked pointedly at the document in front of her. "How is it coming?"

"I'm on the final draft before talking to Colonel Tigh," she informed him with a proud grin. She'd worked like crazy to get them done-and done properly-before the XO returned.

"Thats excellent. I look forward to hearing what the XO has to say about your ideas."

Athena laughed out loud, unable to help herself. "I'm sure you'll hear quite a bit, considering your friendship with Colonel Tigh. From what I understand from _many_ sources, this is not a direction that the XO will approve or appreciate."

"That may be so, but once he realizes the necessity, he'll get on board. Before Lee comes back and resumes as CAG I wanted to tell you how pleased I am with both your work and how you've handled yourself in an authority position. I have also heard from _many_ sources that you've done an exceptional job. Lee and Starbuck were right to think so highly of you," he added with a small nod.

Athena felt herself blush lightly at the compliment and expression of confidence. She had worked hard to make both Lee and the Commander proud. "Thank you, sir. I've worked hard so as not to let you or Lee down," she admitted, smiling lightly over at him.

"Always do your best, don't be afraid to ask questions, and don't take any crap off of anyone and you'll not let me down. I have decided to keep you on as Assistant CAG after Lee returns to his duties. I feel you have an aptitude and would like to see you continue to grow and develop as a ranking officer. As long as Lee has no objections, is that acceptable?"

"Of course, sir! I'd be honored," she replied sincerely. She had truly enjoyed many of the duties she'd handled, and this would be a way to take some of the load off of Lee. Not to mention that they would have legitimate reasons to be in each others company.

"Of course, this will mean less time for you to work with Chief Tyrol on the birds," he warned, his eyes watching her as if to gauge her reaction.

"I enjoy working on the Vipers, and will always be available if I'm needed, but my first loyalty is to the Galactica. So, whatever duties you think best for me, I will give my utmost toward accomplishing."

The Commander nodded and looked over at her with a grin slowly curing his lips. "So. . . what are you doing tonight?"

"Umm. . . My plan was to fine tune the regulations," she told him hesitantly, surprised by his abrupt change of topic and sudden personal tone.

"Do you have any civilian clothing?"

"Sir?" she asked in confusion. "Umm. . . No. I dont."

"How would you like to go to a party with me?"

"A party?" she repeated, feeling like an idiot without a single intelligent thought in her head. She didn't know what to make of his questions and now the strange offer. "Where, sir?"

"On Cloud Nine."

"Cloud. . ." she faltered and then looked up to find him smiling fondly at her. Suddenly it all became clear. "The Colonial Day Celebration?" The one place she would be certain to find Lee.

"That would be the one. Dress grays will be fine and you can fly a group of us in one of the shuttles," he informed her, rising from his seat. "I can think of one person who will undoubtedly be quite happy to see you."

"Yes, sir. I've missed him, too," she added bluntly.

He opened the hatch and stepped out. "1700 hours on the hanger deck. Don't be late."

"No, sir."

The door shut behind him and Athena slumped in her chair, feeling boneless and weak. He was such an intimidating man and she always felt a degree of tension in his presence. He had been nothing but kind, supportive and respectful toward her, but she still couldn't relax when he was around. He was Lee's father and her Commander both.

She looked at her watch and realized she had just under two hours to get ready for a party.

xxxxx

Lee watched as President Roslin introduced Baltar to the celebrating crowd. "Citizens! I give you your new Vice President Gaius Baltar!"

Dr. Baltar ran out onto the stage, dressed in a finely tailored suit. Lee wondered where he had managed to find a suit with such a perfect fit, when he had come onto Colonial One with only a briefcase in his hands.

Lee looked around and saw a blond woman sitting alone at the bar. She turned her head and he was shocked to discover it was Kara! Her hair looked fluffy and light and she was actually wearing a dress. A very pretty, silky, slinky blue dress that emphasized the feminine charms that she usually kept well hidden. Her arms were bare and the dress left a good deal of her legs bare, too. He walked up to her, staring in amazement, and she gave him a look that told him he'd better have care with what he said to her.

"So. . . umm. . . that bum knee of yours is looking pretty good," he told her teasingly. "And the other one's not too bad, either."

"Lee," she said with a roll of her eyes, "if you want to ask me to dance, just ask."

That hadn't been what he was thinking, but hell. . . why not? She was his friend and the only person he knew in the room other than the President, Baltar and the Tighs. To be honest, dancing wasn't his favorite thing to do, but he could hold his own. "You want to dance?"

She rose from the chair and the dress skimmed along her lithe, athletic body in a most alluring manner. If he hadn't been friends with her for years on end, he would have been hard put to resist her. As it was, her feminine appearance only served to make him think about AJ, and wonder what she would look like in a dress.

"Me in a dress is a once in a lifetime opportunity," she quipped with a grin and took his arm, allowing herself to be led onto the dance floor.

Lee held her lightly, surprised to discover that she truly could dance, and didn't even try to lead. More and more people joined them on the dance floor and Lee was surprised to suddenly see faces he knew. Sharon was laughing and dancing with Lt. Gaeta. D was snuggled happily into Billys arms as they swayed back and forth in what might be called dancing. Chief Tyrol was spinning a laughing and happy Cally around like a top, and even the Tighs seemed to be getting along as they danced in the comfortable manner of a long-married couple. His father even appeared, leading the President out to dance.

"May I cut in?" a voice asked, and Lee was pulled from his observations as the newly elected Vice President Baltar stood looking hopefully at Kara.

She gave Lee a look that told him it was okay with her, and he relinquished her into the other mans arms. Feeling suddenly very alone, he wove between the dancing couples and headed back to the bar. All the gaiety of the party left him cold, and he wished he were in his quarters with AJ at his side. Dressed or undressed, she was the only woman he wanted to be with. He sighed heavily, looking at all the laughing couples. He wasn't sure how it had happened, but he'd gone and done it.

He'd fallen in love when he wasn't looking.

His eyes on the floor, he almost walked into an officer clad in dress grays who was also apparently watching the festivities from the sidelines. He looked up into AJs sparkling eyes and his heart jumped into his throat.

"AJ!"

"Lee."

"Gods! I've missed you." He took a step closer to her.

"I've missed you, too."

"Would you care to dance?" he asked her huskily, holding out his arm to her as he fought a rush of pure emotion.

xxxxx

Athena glanced up and caught the gaze of the Commander upon them. She caught his eye and asked him silently what to she should do. He smiled and nodded slightly, before looking back at the President, who was talking animatedly to him.

"I'd love to," she agreed, taking his arm and allowing him to lead her to the edge of the group of revelers. She put her arms around his neck and stepped into his waiting body. His arms laced around her waist and he nuzzled the side of her neck and inhaled deeply. "I have a few things to say, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed, his expression a combination of arousal and confusion. But when his eyes met hers, she knew he was at least partially aware of what she planned to say. "First off. . . I'm Athena," she stated bluntly. "It was me on Colonial One after the attack."

"I knew it! Why didn't you say something before now?" he asked in a puzzled tone.

"What was I supposed to say? Oh, Captain, by the way. . . I was the one you frakked the other night when we thought the world was ending?" she drawled, leaning her head on his shoulder and wishing they were somewhere else. Somewhere private.

He held her tighter, his thighs moving temptingly against hers as they danced. "No," he said firmly, taking her chin in a hand and lifting so she had to look at him. "We didn't just frak. It was. . . special. Important. And why didn't you tell me I was your first? I've wondered so many times if I hurt you."

Athena leaned away from him, startled that he had realized he had been her first and only lover. "I. . . I acted on impulse, Lee. Things were in an uproar, and I didn't want to end up dying without knowing. . . knowing. . ."

"Knowing what?" he breathed, his arms snaking around her waist again and pulling her body up so that it molded perfectly into his. They moved in a sensual dance, their bodies almost seeming like one as they cleared the air between them.

"How great it could be," she admitted, licking her lips as she felt her body flush with arousal. "And you didn't hurt me at all. You made it. . . wonderful."

"Mind blowing," he added, his lips moving to gently caress her ear as he spoke. "As it has been since, every time we made love. Gods! I want to kiss you so badly."

"We can't," she warned him, turning her head slightly away so that their lips were not tempted to join in the heat of the moment. "We're way too exposed here. We'll have later."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Athena moved to allow a little space between their bodies, hoping they hadn't drawn too much attention to themselves. She looked up to see both Kara and Galen watching, each of them smiling secret little smiles as they continued to dance with their own partners. The Commander watched them with a tolerant, almost happy expression, and the President looked at them with the appearance of a deer caught in the headlights. Apparently, President Roslin hadn't had any idea that she and Lee had become. . . friends.

They danced, mostly in silence, until the band stopped to take a break. They picked up drinks at the bar-Lee some liquor she didnt recognize-and water for herself. Then Athena decided to take the bull by the horns and led Lee to where the Commander and President stood, quietly talking. Lee gave her a look that told her she'd pay later, and followed along.

"Commander Adama. President Roslin. Lovely evening, isn't it?" she asked them with a taunting little smile. She actually felt like she was bringing a date home to meet her parents.

"Very nice," the Commander responded, his lips twisting as he returned her smile.

"Lovely," the President murmured. "Athena. . ."

"Don't worry, Laura," she told the woman who had been almost like a second mother for years, reaching out to place a hand on her elbow. "Lee is a good man and I'm safe in his hands."

Lee choked on his drink and the Commander chuckled. "I'm sure he is," Laura Roslin said hesitantly. "Actually, I _know_ he is. After all, he comes from very good stock," she added, looking up at the Commander with a knowing smile.

The President had pity on them and asked to be flown back to Colonial One less than an hour later. She looked tired, and Athena knew that the past few days had been stressful beyond belief. The Commander also asked to be taken back to Galactica and mentioned that another pilot could be sent after the Galactica crew later in the evening. The four of them walked to the small shuttle and Athena fired up the engines. They first dropped off the President and then docked back on Galactica. The Commander nodded his goodnight and then tactfully disappeared.

Lee led Athena back to his quarters, not speaking, but not taking his eyes off of her either. She knew that there was more talking to be done, but she hoped the lovemaking would come first. When they were safely within the privacy of the cabin she took his bruised face in her hands.

"What on Earth happened to you?"

"I got into a little scuffle. Nothing serious," he added gruffly, taking her in his arms and holding her close. "What should I call you? AJ or Athena?"

"Either is fine with me, but I prefer Athena in private only. It was my families name for me and its. . . special to me," she told him, tipping her head back as his lips began to move along the exposed skin of her neck. "Lee!"

"Look at me," he ordered her suddenly. She shifted so that they were face to face, standing still tightly held within his arms. "I love you. Before we go any further I want you to know that."

"I love you, too, Lee Adama. I've missed you so badly these past few days," she told him, moving her hands along the buttons of his shirt, freeing them one by one. "I slept in your bed while you were gone. I hope you don't mind."

"I'm glad. I want you sleeping in my bed from now on."

She frowned lightly, not sure she was ready for such a big step all at once. Everyone would know if she moved into his quarters with him. She pushed his shirt back off his shoulders and it fell to the floor. "We'll have to move carefully. I've rewritten the fraternization regs, but nothing has been officially changed yet. We still have to be discrete."

"For tonight lets just agree to forget about tomorrow," he suggested, his own fingers making quick work of her own uniform blouse. His lips twisted in a wicked grin. "I'm more interested in right now, anyway."

She laughed, glad that the serious talk was done for now at least. She was thrilled beyond belief to know that his feelings for her were as strong as hers for him, but the time for talk was over. It was time for a more physical expression of their love. "I want you naked, so move it, mister!"

He laughed and they both hurriedly undressed, not bothering to hang anything up.

When they stood naked in front of each other, Athena looked him up and down appreciatively. Until her eyes discovered new bruising upon his ribs. "What kind of scuffle did you get into? Did you injure your ribs again?"

"I'm fine, AJ. Athena." With a grin he pulled her close and the hardening of his body against hers proved that he was, indeed, quite fine.


	14. Chapter 14

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Chapter Fourteen

Losing Control

DAY 49

Lee started the day after the Colonial Day Celebration sparing with the old man. He'd never boxed with his father, but it was something he'd done a lot of during the academy and throughout most of his military education and training. It was also something he had excelled at and had continued because not only was it good exercise, but it was important to know how to take a hit and keep on going. Pain was usually fleeting and could be endured as long as you didn't give into it.

He quickly discovered that his father took a punch pretty well for a man in his 60s. His body was no longer lean and mean, as it had been when he was Lee's age, and Lee found himself holding back slightly on his punches. The last thing he wanted was to do damage to his father physically, nor to his ego by indicating that his age was showing. Actually, Lee found himself quite impressed at the way his father took his hits and just kept on going. He knew he was looking at the origin of every stubborn and unyielding bone in his own body. As he was coming to know him better, Lee was beginning to realize that he was more like the old man than he'd ever imagined.

Then Lee made what he later looked back on as the critical error. He got cocky, a bit lazy, and the sleeper inside his father awoke. The Commander connected a solid, full-force punch to Lee's still sore left jaw and Lee found himself back on the floor, his vision fuzzy for a moment or two. He shook his head and rose to his feet, looking at his father with genuine respect.

"You don't lose control," his father commented, lowering his arms and beginning to remove his gloves.

"Thanks," Lee replied with a pleased shrug. He had lived most of his life striving to keep control of everything and anything that was possible, especially himself and his actions.

"No. You gotta lose control," his father stated with a shake of his head. "Let your instincts take over."

Lee looked at his father for a long moment, his pleasure dissolving and morphing into a small knot in his stomach. Maybe his father thought losing control was a good thing, but it wasn't how Lee thought life should be lived. Losing control of yourself not only got you in trouble most times, but it had caused some of the larger headaches of Lee's life. "I thought we were just sparring," he commented dryly, removing his own gloves and turning away. He was done here.

"That's why you don't win," his father added matter-of-factly as Lee left he exercise room.

Lee shook his head in frustration, wondering if he would ever truly understand his father. Or if his father would ever truly understand him. Lee hadn't been trying to win. He had been sparring because his old man had asked him and Lee had just wanted to spend some uncomplicated time with his father. He sighed heavily and headed to his quarters to clean up. Enough _fun_ for one day.

Lee had the early half of the day off, which was a rarity and, since Athena was scheduled to fly a CAP with a nugget, Lee spent the rest of the morning playing cards. It was an eclectic bunch that consisted of Lt. Gaeta and D from the CIC, Crashdown, and the newly famous Dr. Vice President Baltar. The liquor was flowing pretty freely, though Lee was careful not to indulge. He had drunk more in the past couple days than in the entire year before! Dr. Baltar, on the other hand, appeared to be enjoying the liquor much more than he was the card game. He was acting as strangely as usual, but all through the game he watched Lee with the oddest expression. Lee couldn't read it and eventually just ignored him.

"There's a card game!" Kara said as she walked through the hatch and into the smoky Rec Room.

Everyone greeted her and Crash looked up at her with a sappy, almost drunk grin. "She's back on her feet, ladies and gentlemen!"

"How are you feeling?" Lee asked with a glance up to see how she was looking. Rumor had it she had been hammered at the celebration and was nursing a vicious hangover.

"Hey, Gaius," she greeted the man who simply sat and stared at her, and then she looked at Lee and nodded. "I'm good."

Dr. Baltar sat up straighter and glared at Kara. "Mr. Vice President, if you don't mind, Lt. Thrace," he stated pompously, his eyes never leaving her. "Some level of decorum must be maintained, after all, or is it a pirate ship you're running?"

Kara simply looked at the man and Lee found himself watching Kara's face. There was something going on-some subtle undercurrent-here that he didn't fully understand.

"No. Just a Battlestar, sir," she answered in a monotone.

"All right, let's play," Lt. Gaeta said, picking up the cards and shuffling.

"Would you like to play?" Baltar asked Kara, his eyes looking at her in an almost malevolent manner. "Maybe you'd like to sit next to Captain Adama?"

Lee grinned up at her, more than willing to win some of her money. If she was hung over she wasn't going to be that sharp at the table. "Sure Kara. Why don't you pull up a pew?"

"No, that's okay, Lee. I've got things to do."

Lee watched her with a frown as she turned and left the room. Something had just happened, but he had no idea what it was. There were subtle undercurrents flowing that he didn't understand.

He looked back at the drunken Vice President and found the man shooting the same look he'd given Kara at him. Gods! What an idiot, Lee thought, picking up the cards that the lieutenant had just dealt him. He was in control here, not Dr. Vice President Drunken Idiot Gaius Baltar.

x

Lee kept his veneer of calm as he tossed down his cards, picked up his winnings and left the card game. The drunken doctor had just informed the card players, in way too much detail, about having the _delectable_ Lt. Thrace in his bed last night. He'd said it looking straight at Lee as though he were trying to challenge him for some reason. Everyone had looked at Baltar as though he'd grown a second head at his complete breach of protocol. They lived a don't ask, don't tell lifestyle on a battlestar where privacy of any kind was limited, and Baltar had just spoken in a highly derogatory manner toward one of their own. Lee heard the game shutting down as he left, but he didn't care.

All he could think about was that Kara had been in bed with that smug, pompous, oily son of a bitch, who gave new meaning to the word eccentric! Lee clenched his teeth at the thought that Kara could have any feelings for someone like the twitchy Dr. Baltar. The alternative-that he was just a one-night stand-didn't set any better with him. Kara was wild and unpredictable, but he'd thought she had better taste and better sense than that! How could she have slept with such a moron? The man might be a genius, to be sure, but he was a moron all the same.

He'd thought she'd changed. When he first met her she'd spent way too much time in the bottle and in any good looking man's bed. He'd hated it, but he'd turned a blind eye because they were friends and she didn't have that many. But then when she'd met Zak, she'd seemed to change. She'd begun drinking less and stopped sleeping around. Zak had been a calming influence. . . at least in those particular areas. And now. . . gods! Zak would be rolling in his grave if he knew.

Lee had worked up to an anger that was ready to blow when he finally found her working on the Raider in the hanger bay. She was loading ammunition through the bottom of the ship and shot him a quick glance as he approached.

"Going hunting?" he asked in what he knew was a cold, hard voice. His anger was just about bubbling over.

"I'm adding a gunnery run to the jump test tomorrow," she told him, feeding the rounds carefully. "See if our boy here can shoot anything with our ammo."

"So it's a boy now?" he asked with a snort.

"I changed my mind," she told him sarcastically.

"You ever wonder why everyone calls it a she, but to you, it's a he?" Lee knew he should back off and leave now. . . while he still could. Before he said something to her that he'd regret over something that was really none of his business.

"It's fascinating, Lee. You should write a paper," she sneered, doing her best not to look at him. It was then he realized she was fully aware of why he was angry. The fact that she could barely look at him spoke chapters.

"It's not really my scene. I'm not as smart as. . . say. . . Dr. Baltar," he commented, his own tone dripping with sarcasm of his own. He stared silently at her, not saying another word until she looked back up at him. "How is the Vice President, by the way?"

Kara looked quickly away, her eyes back on her work. "I don't know. Haven't seen him."

"So he's the love them and leave them kind of guy, I guess?" he questioned harshly, not caring that he was intentionally being spiteful with his words. It wasn't as if she had to answer to him, but he felt betrayed just the same.

"I guess," she repeated softly, her own temper showing more than a little in the deadly softness of her voice.

"Ships that just pass in the night."

"Yup."

"Didn't mean a thing."

"Nope."

"Just bored. . . looking for something to do, so frakking the Vice President of the Colonies seemed like a great way to waste some time?" he barked accusingly.

"You want something from me?" she asked sharply, finally turning to face him. She had apparently taken all the goading she was prepared to take.

"Not a thing," he stated, staring furiously at her too pale face.

"Because I don't owe you anything!" she spat heatedly, her hands clenching into fists at her side.

"You don't own me anything," Lee repeated venomously. "Because I'm just a CAG and youre just a pilot."

"Right," she agreed curtly.

"A pilot that can't keep her pants on!" he yelled, heedless of who might be within earshot. He was sick to death of her I don't give a damn attitude and her unthinking behavior! She was a ranking officer on this ship and she was making herself the brunt of gossip and innuendo. It burned him to the core to see her beginning back on a downward spiral. Didn't she have any self-respect?

"Right."

"Oh, its just like old times, Kara," Lee mocked with an unamused laugh. How many times had he been forced to sit and listen to people talking about her sexual exploits in his lifetime? Too damn many times! "Like when you got drunk and couldn't keep your hand off the Major from wherever-"

Kara suddenly spun around and slammed her fist into his face, catching the side of his mouth. Without thinking he lost control and hit her back, his fist catching her solidly on the left eye. He reached up and dabbed at a bit of blood from his lip, staring at her and wondering how their friendship had come to this. How had it all gone so wrong?

She reached up and tenderly touched her eye. "Gods," she breathed, turning her back on him and walking away.

"Why'd you do it, Kara?" he called after her, not caring that two Marine guards were watching in rapt attention from the hatchway, and two more deck mechanics were standing frozen on the far side of the Raider. "Just tell me why?"

She stopped for a moment, keeping her head down and not looking at him. "Because I'm a screw-up, Lee. Try and keep that in mind."

Lee watched her walk away, breathing deeply to regain control of both his anger and his emotions. She could piss him off like no one else ever had, and he frakking hated it! He hated it that he knew what the loyal and smart Kara was capable of, though she persisted in showing the world this wild and unthinking persona of the crazy-assed fighter pilot. He hated to see her demean herself by getting drunk and sleeping around with the most convenient man available. He hated to see people laugh at her and make her the butt of their jokes. And he hated how much those very actions had the ability to hurt him. To disappoint him.

Lee had pulled it together by the time he arrived at a meeting with his father, the President, Vice President and the priest, Elosha. They reviewed the aerial photographs of the planet Boomer and Crashdown had accidentally found and agreed that it could, in fact, be Kobol. Lee was ordered to set up three Raptors to do a ground survey of the ruins to see if the identity of the planet could be positively identified. He was more than a little surprised when Baltar volunteered for the survey party, and was frankly relieved when his father said it wasn't necessary. However, after Baltar threw what Lee considered to be a temper tantrum, using his new authority as Vice President, the President agreed that the man could go down to the planet. Frankly, Lee found himself wishing they could take him down to the planet and somehow manage to lose him!

xxxxxx

Lee was obviously furious about something when he returned to his quarters that night. He walked in and slammed the hatch door behind him and strode into the head without so much as a word. Athena heard the water run and the sound of splashing.

"What on earth is wrong?" she asked from where she sat on the couch, her legs tucked up beneath her as she read. She had never seen him in such a mood. He was usually so even tempered. . . at least on the outside. Sometimes on the inside he seethed and burned, but he usually managed to keep it from bubbling over where anyone saw it.

"Not a frakking thing!" he growled, kicking the chair out of his way as he exited the tiny room. His face and hair were wet, obviously from the bathroom sink.

"Really?" she asked drolly, tipping her head slightly as she looked over at him. "Hmm."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means that youre in a foul mood, which isn't normal for you." She closed her book reader and stared up at him in concern. His entire demeanor was stiff as he began to undress, and his body language shouted leave me alone, but Athena found she couldn't. His external anger told her that he was hurting uncontrollably about something on the inside. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No. Not unless you can tell me why Kara would frak an idiot like Baltar?"

She frowned, not liking the fact that he was so disturbed over Kara's intimacy with another man, even if it was someone as odd as the Vice President. Plus, it was unrealistic of him to assume that Kara was never going to get lonely and search out relationships with others. "Does it bother you that she had sex with someone?"

He gaped at her, his hands ceasing their work on his buttons. "That's not the point."

"Isn't it? Yes, Kara was engaged to marry your brother, but he's been dead for over two years. She's been alone since then. Surely she has the right to make her own choices when it comes to this particular area of her life." She frowned at the thought that was insistently pushing it's way into her mind. "I hate to say it but you sound, well. . . you sound jealous, Lee."

"Thats crazy!"

Athena looked at him as he began to undress once more, studiously avoiding her gaze. No doubt she was going to add fuel to the fire, but she had to speak her mind. "You probably don't want to hear this, but you are acting like a lover who's been cheated on."

"I'm _not_ her lover!" he almost yelled in protest, spinning to face Athena angrily.

"I know you're not. But can you honestly tell me that youve never _thought_ about the two of you being lovers? Never wondered what it would be like for the two of you to be together? Never wished somewhere inside you that you had?"

"Athena. . ."

"Because it sounds to me like you have some unresolved feeling floating around inside your head when it comes to your relationship with Kara." Oh my gods! Athena couldn't believe she's just said that to him. She was confident of his love for her. His every word, look and action told her that Lee loved her. But that didn't mean he didn't have regrets with how things had evolved, or not evolved, with Kara.

"She's been my closest friend for a lot of years."

"Yes. I know that, too. But it would have been only human for you to have hoped for something more before I came along. Maybe even before Zak came into the picture. Otherwise, I don't think it would bother you so much to find out she'd taken a lover."

"You don't know what the frak youre talking about!" Lee shouted, his jaw clenched in anger as he stared at her. "You don't know everything I think! Or everything I feel!" his chest was heaving with emotion and for the first time the extent of his anger was directed at her. He was clearly teetering on the very edge of his control and she was only making things worse.

Athena stood up and sat her book reader on the table, trying to keep her own emotions calm. It wouldn't help for her to dive in and attack him when he was already struggling with whatever was going on inside of him. It was clear he wasn't anywhere near ready to talk coherently about the situation, and had a lot of thinking to do. "Maybe I don't, Lee. But I'm no idiot. You're reacting strongly to the situation because you _feel_ strongly. I think perhaps you need a little space and time alone to figure out whats going on in your head. I know I sure do."

She stepped around him and resolutely headed for the hatch. She was not going to stay in his quarters and be yelled at for loving him. She opened the door and hesitated before she stepped out, hating to leave things like this, but fearing that anything else she said would make things worse.

"Athena," he murmured softly, regret filling his voice.

"Good night, Lee. I'll see you tomorrow." She walked out the door and shut it firmly behind her. Gods, what a night!

After walking the corridors for an hour or so, she found herself back in her quarters. She had a full day scheduled tomorrow as one of the Raptor pilots on the survey mission, and she needed some sleep. Right now she didn't even want to think about Lee. She just wanted to empty her mind and sleep. She sat back on the neatly made bunk she rarely used and lay down tiredly, trying to remember how many days it had been since she'd slept in her own rack.

"Well, well. . . Look who's back in the senior pilots quarters," one of the male pilots drawled as a group of them entered the quarters. "You and the Chief have a fight?"

"Shut the frak up," she growled angrily, frustrated that there was apparently no place to go where she could find peace.

"Whoa! It mustve been a doozy to put you in such a foul mood."

Athena rolled over and looked up at the obviously intoxicated pilot. "One more word from you, mister, and I'll snap your balls off and make you eat them."

"And I'll help," Starbuck added, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of her bunk. Athena hadn't known she was there.

"Me, too," another female pilot warned, stepping slightly away from the rest of the group.

"Peace!" the male pilot said, holding his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry."

Athena turned her back on them all and closed her eyes.

xxxxx

Lee paced his too quiet quarters, breathing deeply and mumbling under his breath as he worked toward getting both his temper and his emotions under control. He had lost it. . . truly lost it! He had been out of line with Kara; stepping into a portion of her life that he had no business. But when he'd heard that she'd slept with that dolt, Baltar, all he could think of was that she was spiraling back into the reckless hellion that she had been in their academy days. And he knew she was better than that.

He was also ashamed that he had taken his anger and frustration out on Athena. She had only been trying to help and he had all but bit her head off when he didn't like the direction of her comments. She hadn't deserved that. But at the same time she had obviously felt that he had feelings beyond friendship for Kara. He didn't really know _what_ he felt for Kara; he only knew that it was nothing compared to the love he felt for Athena.

His mind kept flying back and forth, unable to settle on one thing long enough to get it resolved in his head. Gods! He really needed someone to talk to, but he had no one. Kara and he had long ago lost the degree of closeness where they discussed their feelings or anything remotely intimate. And Athena had left him to work things out on his own. But, if he were honest, he wasn't sure this particular topic could be discussed rationally between the two of them. So who else was there?

Lee knocked on his father's door, hoping the old man would still be awake. He looked at his watch and saw that it was 2345 hours, well past the time when most people would come visiting. He had spent the last hour and a half, going back and forth in his head through all the things he and Athena had said to each other. He needed someone to talk to and, without Athena, he had no one but his father.

"Who is it?" the door cracked enough for his father's voice to be heard.

"Lee."

The door opened and Lee found himself looking at his father standing just inside wearing just his boxer shorts and uniform tank, with his pants in his hands as if he had been about to put them on. "Come in, son."

"I hope I didn't wake you," Lee stated uncertainly, not sure he should have come to his father, of all people. He stepped inside and the Commander shut the hatch behind them.

"No. I was just reading. Is everything okay?" he asked as he tossed his pants over the back of a chair, his eyes taking in Lee's casual appearance dressed only in his exercise shorts and tank.

"I'm. . . I needed to talk to someone."

"I see." The old man walked over to a table and poured two short glasses of the green liquid that could only be Ambrosia. He handed Lee a glass and motioned for him to sit on the sofa. "Problems?"

Lee watched his father sit next to him and took a polite sip of his drink before setting the glass down on the table. Ambrosia, though the most popular drink of the Colonies, had never been his favorite liquor. "I. . . Yes, sir. Athena and I had a bit of a fight."

"I'm sorry," his father stated with a sympathetic shake of his head. "I'm not so sure I'm the best person you could have come to. You, of all people, know that I was never very good at relationships."

Lee smiled lightly in spite of himself. Yes, he of all people _did_ know that was true. But who else did he have? "You're the only one I've got."

"Well then, talk to me," his father replied with a look that told Lee he had his father's full attention.

"Athena believes I. . . have unresolved feelings when it comes to Starbuck," he said bluntly. He told his father about Kara having slept with Baltar, along with his strong reaction, and was gratified to see the old man's eyes widen with shock and distaste. Which was a copy of his own feelings. "She believes that I was angry because I have feelings for Kara."

"I see."

Lee stared at his father, in his own way daring the older man to be a father and speak his mind. He waited through a long, uncomfortable silence and then sighed heavily. "Dad. I want you to _talk_ to me. I want to know what you think and feel. I _need_ your opinions."

"I'm afraid to speak too candidly," his father admitted quietly, his eyes on the drink that he swirled in his hand. "Our relationship is finally heading in a direction that I am very happy with, but I know it is tenuous at best. I'm afraid to say something that might take us backward instead of forward."

The honest and open words stirred Lee's emotions, as he came to the realization that his father was working as hard at their relationship as he was. "I may not like what you have to say, but I will always respect your honesty, sir. I need someones advice who is not directly involved."

The Commander sighed heavily. "Okay. I confess that I have often wondered if there was something between you and Kara. Perhaps before she met Zak, or even after Zak's death. There is just a. . . connection between the two of you. Something rare and special."

Lee accepted that with a nod. "I have _never_ been anything but friends with Kara. Not before Zak or after. She. . . isn't a comfortable person to be around for long periods of time." The Commander smiled at that statement, perhaps understanding that a person as volatile as Kara would never be comfortable. "I will admit that at one time-long ago-I wondered if there could be something more between us, but she never gave one signal that made me feel I could pursue a more serious relationship. Then, more recently when I met Athena, I realized that what I felt for Kara was nothing like how real love and commitment felt. But I am furious at her-Kara, I mean."

"Tell me what you like about Kara," he father directed with a thoughtful look filling his face.

"She's bold, brash, skillful and smart. . . full of attitude and sometimes I wish I could be more like her. At other times she is infuriating, smart-mouthed, has no respect for authority, and walks around with a huge chip on her shoulder. She's loyal to the Galactica and you, but she's a bit selfish. . . and wants to do what _she_ wants to do first and foremost. She reacts without thinking most of the time, and that's what gets her into trouble. That's also what makes her an exceptional pilot."

"Now tell me about Athena."

Lee smiled to himself, thinking for a long moment before he spoke. How could he best describe her? "Athena is. . . attuned to the needs and feelings of those around her. She listens totally to people and thinks before she speaks. I know that when I talk to her, she is _truly_ listening and seeking to understand me. She has great insight into those around her, and she is a staunch friend. She is also an exceptional pilot, but while she isn't afraid to take a risk, she's more conventional in her approach, as I am. She is soft and gentle, intelligent, loyal, honorable. . . and when I look at her I see my future. I see a woman who will always stand strong by my side, supporting me and quietly demanding that I support her in turn. And she stirs my blood in a way no woman ever has," he ended with a slightly embarrassed grin. He was not used to being so candid with his father, especially about something so personal in nature.

His father smiled gently, almost wistfully, and finished his drink in one swallow. "Here's what I think. When you talk about Kara, youre matter-of-fact and detached. There's fire but no passion. But when you talk about Athena, every bit of the love you feel shines through. You may have issues with Kara's behavior, but I don't think its because you're in love with her. I suspect a great part of your anger is that in your mind-in our minds-Kara still belongs to Zak. Its unfair and unrealistic, but there it is. Kara is _our_ girl, for better or for worse, and it's hard to share her. Especially with an idiot like Baltar. . . but I suspect it would be hard for both of us were she to truly fall in love with someone. And she undoubtedly will. . . someday."

"I also want to say that I envy you, son. I'm going to say something that might hurt you, though that is not my intent. I _wish_ with all my heart that I had loved your mother like you love Athena. Your mother certainly deserved that kind of love, but I wasn't able to give it to her. What you feel for Athena and, what I suspect she feels for you, is something to be cherished. It's okay to fight. In fact, its only natural and even healthy for any couple. But don't let your disagreements tear apart what you have worked so hard to build. Tell Athena what you feel about her, and what you feel about Kara. Help her to understand the difference." He paused for a moment and then looked up at Lee with a smile. "I think I've said enough. I hope I haven't said too much."

"No. You've been helpful. But now I have to ask. Did you ever love my mother?" Lee asked, hoping his father would not be offended by the question. He had never been able to understand the relationship between his parents, and he truly wanted to know.

"I _always_ loved your mother," his father said sternly, a frown creasing his forehead. "But I always loved the military more. That was my failing, not hers. That was what tore our family apart in the end, despite everything she did to keep us together. Don't make my mistakes, son. Be a husband who is _in_ the military. Don't be a military officer who has a wife."

"I understand, sir," Lee responded, nodding his head in understanding of the distinction between the two and rising from his seat. "Thank you for being so candid with me."

"Its hard. . . this forging of a relationship. It doesn't matter whether it's between a man and a woman, or between a father and a son. But it _is_ worth the effort."

"Good night, dad," Lee said as he nodded again and walked to the door. He had a lot to think about.

"Good night, son."

xxxxx

DAY 50

Athena joined Kara in the mess for breakfast since neither of them had a CAP to fly that day. Good thing, since she thought Kara looked more than a little bit ill and, rumor had it she had spent the previous day with a serious hangover. Kara picked at her food and after Athena caught the other woman looking at her secretively for about the fifth time, Athena finally gave into the urge to ask, "What is going on with you? You keep looking at me like my head is going to explode!"

Kara blushed, her fair skin taking on a rosy hue that spoke volumes. "I'm sorry. I. . ."

"Are we friends, or not?"

"That's just it. Youre my _only_ female friend and I don't want to say anything to mess that up," Kara said miserably.

"Kara, I can take whatever it is you have to say. How bad can it be, anyway?" Athena asked with a grin. Actually, Athena though she already knew what was making Kara so out of sorts. It was no doubt part and parcel of what she and Lee had already discussed, or rather, argued about. Might as well clear the air and get it all out there in the open.

"You must have noticed that Lee is pissed at me."

"It was a little hard to miss," Athena stated, remembering vividly how Lee had stomped around and slammed the doors in his quarters.

"Well, he found out that I frakked Gaius Baltar at the Colonial Day Celebration."

"He told me," Athena admitted with a heavy sigh. Nothing was easy these days. "Gods."

"I know, I know! It was a crazy impulse and trust me, I wish I hadn't. But I was lonely, horny and he'd been flirting with me ever since we first me. So I just gave in to the urge."

"Lee was _so_ pissed. He can't stand the doctor, you know," Athena told her friend with a shake of her head.

"That's not even the bad part! It gets worse. Gods! I can't believe I'm going to tell you this! And you have to promise _never_ to tell Lee. But I've got to tell someone before I frakking explode!" she all but cried. "When I. . . at a critical moment. . . I called out Lee's name. I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! It just sort of popped out. I truly wasn't even really thinking about him. . . but I guess I must have been. I'm so sorry AJ!"

Athena sat silently, frowning as she thought about the meaning of this particular revelation. It was obvious that Kara was racked with guilt about something that was going on subconsciously. Something she probably hadn't even known was there. But it made Athena wonder even more about what was going on inside Lee's subconscious.

"Say something!"

Athena looked over at her friends anguished face and she just couldn't be angry. There was a lot of history between Lee and Kara, and a lot of years before Athena had come into the picture. She took a deep breath, determined to be mature about this and look at things logically, even though she did feel more than a bit betrayed by her friend. "Well. . . I suppose it would be foolish of me to assume I'm the only one who looks at Lee in that manner."

"But I don't! I mean, I never have before. Gods, I've seen him naked in the shower thousands of times that I can remember and, other than thinking he had a great body, I was never turned on, you know? I mean he's. . . I. . ."

"You love him," Athena said simply, her heart heavy with fear. Things had been going so well in the past weeks, and now this. The history between Lee and Kara was long and complicated, and Athena was new to both of their lives.

"Yes, but not like that! I love the Commander, too, and I've never shouted his name when I came!" Athena snorted and choked at the thought Kara had just put into her head. It was. . . incongruous. "I love Lee like a brother, Athena."

"I believe you, Kara. But subconsciously you must wonder about him. What if things were different? What if the two of you had connected before you fell in love with Zak? Or even after Zak died?"

"Maybe. I don't know. You'd think if we were gonna fall in love it would have happened well before now. There's been plenty of opportunity through the years. But I don't know," Kara muttered in frustration.

"Why did you tell me? What do you want me to say?" Athena was suddenly tired, overwhelmed, and she didn't know what to say or do. What could she do? She only knew she hurt deep inside at the twists and turns of this strange situation in which she found herself.

"I. . . frak! You are my only real friend! Sharon and I had started to connect, but after she and the Chief split things got. . . anyway. . . Okay. What I want is to put the subject of Lee aside for a minute. I want you to focus on you and me, as friends," Starbuck said firmly, her eyes meeting Athena's for the first time.

"Okay." She could do that. It was certainly easier to set the matter of Lee aside and not deal with it just then.

"AJ, you are the best female friend I have ever had and I value our friendship. I want you to trust me, so I bared my soul about something I don't even want to _think_ about! I want you to know that, even if I did think about Lee sexually-which I never have-I would _never_ act on it! Lovers come and go, and I would never risk our friendship on something so fleeting. Please believe me!"

Athena smiled sympathetically at the desperation in her friends voice. "I do believe you, Kara. Do you want to hear what I think?" Her friend nodded briskly. "I think that-deep inside-Lee is the measure you use when you are with other men. He has qualities that you admire and respect, so he's the ruler you use when assessing other men. I also think that, deep down inside, you may have feelings of a romantic nature toward Lee, but. . ." she held up a hand to contain her friend so she could continue, "I don't believe you would act on them. You are far from perfect. You are a rebel, a non-conformist, and often like to stir the pot just to see what will happen. But you would never intentionally do anything to hurt someone else. I also think that our friendship is important to you, and that would be what stopped you from acting on any feelings you might have."

"Oh gods!" Kara murmured, holding her head in her hands and leaning on the tabletop. "I don't know what to think. Just tell me you forgive me!"

Athena smiled again at Kara's desperate appeal. "Of course I forgive you. Even if the worst happened, and you acted on your feelings for Lee, I would eventually forgive you."

"That will never happen! Never!"

Athena reached out and place a reassuring hand on her friends arm, sighing heavily. But she knew all too well that the fates were fickle, and no one knew what the future held. However, she also knew that friendships were to be cherished and didn't always come without a price. The fact that Kara had spoken up when she hadn't really had to, told Athena that she felt the same way.

x

Athena prepped her Raptor a good two hours before they were to leave for the planet survey. With her trying to give Lee space, she had nowhere to go, so she ended up in Galen's office. She was sitting at his desk with her head resting on her arms, almost falling asleep after her night of restless tossing.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty," he laughed, reaching out and giving her shoulders a gentle shake. "You're in my space."

Athena lifted her head and blinked at him sleepily. When she started to get up from his chair he shook his head at her and pulled up a second chair of the far side of the desk and sat. She had been thinking about how the pilot last night had assumed she and Galen were a couple. "Galen, did you know that some people think you and I. . ."

"Yeah. I've heard rumor to that effect," he answered with a grin and a playful wink. "We do spend a lot of time together, so I guess its human nature that people would jump to conclusions. Gossip abounds on a battlestar during the best of times."

"I didn't know until last night. Now I understand why Sharon avoids me like the plague these days. Is this going to cause you any problems?" she asked suddenly, realizing that it wasn't just her that was affected by the talk.

"Naw. I figured it would take some of the heat off of you and Lee, so I haven't confirmed or denied anything," he informed her with a shrug. "As long as Lee knows I'm not poaching, I'm cool."

Athena nodded thoughtfully, grateful not for the first time to have such good friends. And she definitely valued Galen's friendship. "Can I talk to you about something? I need an opinion from a man's perspective."

"Uh oh. You and Lee have a fight?"

"Of sorts. I think I pushed him a bit too hard over something he doesn't want to deal with."

"Okay. Spill your guts. You know your secrets are safe with me." He looked at her patiently, waiting while she decided what to say.

"I know." She didn't want to divulge any of Kara's secrets, but it was all wrapped up in one big bundle of issues, and it was hard to know where to start. "I'm too closely involved to know if I'm seeing things clearly. When you and Sharon were a couple, did you still think about other women? Sexually, I mean?"

"Whoa! I didn't know I'd have to be confessing my own weaknesses!" he teased with a big grin, sitting back in the chair and crossing his outstretched legs.

"I'm serious. You loved-love-Sharon. Right?"

"Yeah, I still love her, for all the good it does either of us."

"So what I need to know is if a man can truly love one woman, but still think sexual thoughts about others. And, if so, does it affect the love you feel?"

He blew out a big breath and looked at her intently. "Okay. Lets take this on a generic basis first. As men. . . we are not always in control of how we respond to things we see. A blatantly sexy woman walks by and gives you the _look_, and its instant hard-on and thoughts of frakking. No intentions, just a male reaction that can't always be controlled. Visual stimuli is enough. That's the way it is for most men. The crux of the matter is whether or not we act on the stimuli. Because I loved Sharon, I could see and appreciate the. . . attributes of another woman, but I had no real interest in taking it any further. Make sense?"

"Yes." It was pretty much what she'd expected to hear.

"Now tell me whats really going on, and maybe I can be of real help."

Athena told him about Lee's reaction to Kara's tryst with someone on the ship, leaving out the Vice President's role. Galen nodded and looked at her appraisingly. "I'm going to take a chance here and tell you a few things that I hope will not change your opinion of me. I value our friendship."

"I do, too, Galen," she responded sincerely. He was one of three people she considered to be a true friend.

"You and I are friends. Yet there are times when I have looked at you and wondered what it would be like if you were mine. What it would be like if you were in _my_ bed. Wished I were Captain Adama. And all the time I've known full well that you loved Lee. End of story. I hate to tell you this, AJ, but I think it is in the nature of man to wonder. But, because you are a friend I value highly, I would never act upon those fleeting feelings. Hell, I would never even have told you this stuff in the first place except I thought it might help you understand the Captain a little better."

"Wow," Athena breathed, looking at her friend through new eyes. She had no idea that he had these kinds of thoughts about her. No idea at all. It made her realize that she had very little experience with or understanding of men.

"You don't hate me now, do you?" he asked worriedly, his gaze never leaving her face. "I don't want you to act all weird around me now. Nothing's changed. Not really."

"No, Galen, I don't hate you. I'm. . . flattered, to say the least. And I'll try to keep it all in perspective and not act weird." She paused for a moment, focusing on the point he'd been trying to make. "So what youre saying to me is that Lee could find himself thinking these kinds of thoughts for Kara, but it doesn't affect his feelings for me?"

"Unless he chooses to act upon them. He's known Starbuck most of his adult life and, considering her personality, he would be a monk not to have wondered what it would be like to be with her sexually. But to my knowledge he's never made a single move in that direction. Hell, I know I've thought that way about Starbuck a time or two myself! Haven't you ever done the 'What if?' thing? What if I had chosen this or done that instead? But all the while you wouldn't change a thing that you had actually chosen or done?"

He continued before she could answer. "The bottom line is that the Captain _chose_ you, AJ. If he had seriously wanted Starbuck, you wouldn't be spending most nights in his quarters. He would be actively pursuing her and you would never have become a part of his life. The man is nothing if not honorable, and he is no fool. Starbuck is an intriguing, complicated woman and, no doubt, would be a fun playmate, but you are the woman with whom he shares the intimate details of his life. Any fool who looks at the two of you together can see that you are the woman he's chosen to share his future."

xxxxx

Lee watched Athena puttering around on the Raptor she would be flying for the ground survey, no doubt killing time before she left. He stood back, wanting to go and talk to her, but not knowing what to say. He had spent most of the night thinking about the things his father had said, and realized that he had been unfair to both Athena and Kara. He had no right to come down on Kara for seeking companionship, even if he did detest the man she chose. And Athena had been correct that he had unresolved issues relating to Kara. But they had nothing to do with love and everything to do with friendship. He hadn't been a very good friend to Kara.

"Are you just going to stand there and watch her, sir? Or are you going to make up before she heads off on the mission?" Chief Tyrol asked, walking up to stand beside Lee. They both watched Athena for a moment.

Lee looked over at the other man. Athena's friend. Before he and Athena had begun their relationship, he had often been envious of all the time the Chief was spending with Athena. But now he was secure enough with their love to realize that she needed friends like the Chief in her life. "I'm trying to figure out what to say."

"Hell, sir! You know full well what to say," the Chief stated with a frown. "You took your anger out on her, but you're sorry and beg her to forgive you! Then you make sure she damn well knows that it's her you love. What do they teach you guys in school these days?"

Lee grinned at the Chiefs bluntness, realizing that Athena had obviously confided in her friend. Surprisingly enough, it didn't really bother him to have the Chief aware of his idiocy. "She tell you everything?"

"Pretty much."

"I'm a frakking idiot," Lee admitted with a shake of his head.

"No comment, sir. Now I recommend you get your ass over there and grovel."

"Just what I was thinking," Lee admitted with a laugh. He nodded at the man and walked purposefully over to the Raptor that Athena had just entered. He followed her inside and hit the switch to close the door.

She looked up at him with upraised eyebrows. "Trying to make sure I can't get away?"

"Just trying for a bit of privacy. I don't want the entire deck gang watching me grovel," Lee admitted as he leaned on the now closed door. "I'm sorry, Athena. I took my anger out on you, and didn't treat you with the respect you deserved."

"I'm sorry, too. I need to learn when to keep my opinions to myself," she admitted, stepping into the arms that he held up to her. She laid her head on his chest and sighed contentedly.

"Will you let me explain a few things to you now?" he asked softly, his lips caressing her ear as he spoke.

"Of course," she murmured, trying to pull away. He held on to her, unwilling to let her go, so she just snuggled in and lay her head back upon his shoulder.

Starbuck is someone I admire and respect greatly. Years ago-in flight school-I would have liked nothing more than to have a romantic and sexual relationship with her. . . but it just wasn't meant to be. Now, after all these years, I've learned to respect her strong points and tolerate her more rebellious side. There are times when I would like to have just a bit of her attitude in me, but I know its because we are so different that we get along as well as we do. I do love her, Athena. . . but I'm not _in love_ with her. My dad says that part of the problem is that we-he and I both-look at her and see our girl, and Zak's girl. . . and haven't managed to cut the ties. I was angry because she slept with Baltar, the man I _least_ respect on this ship because it felt like a slap to Zak. To my dad and I. She could do so much better. Plus, I admit I did feel more than a bit jealous because she was showing signs of closeness to someone else."

"That being said, what I feel for her has nothing to do with how I feel about you. You are so attuned with my feelings and you almost seem to anticipate my needs before I even know them myself. You listen to me. You understand me. You're smart, funny, loving, and I know that I can count on you even to the very end." He thought about what he had told his father the night before. "When I look at you, I see my future. I see you by my side doing battle against the enemy, and I see you someday with our babies in your arms. You make me confident in my abilities and decisions. When I look at you I know there will _never_ be another woman for me. No one who will ever stir me to passion so quickly, or make my heart ache with so much love I can hardly stand it. I'm in love with you, Athena. For better or worse. In sickness and in health. Till death do us part."

"Oh, Lee! I love you, too," she murmured against his neck, her eyes damp with tears from the sweetness of his words. "I'm sorry I didn't listen more closely."

"Dad says its unrealistic to expect us not to fight, but that we should be careful not to tear apart what we are trying to build together," he told her with a smile. "I can be hard-headed and stubborn. I know that. Plus, before you, I never had anyone to tell my darkest secrets and deepest dreams to, and it isn't always easy to share my heart. But I'm trying. I'm learning and growing each day were together. Please be patient with me."

Athena scrubbed the tears from her cheeks and simply held him in her arms. Lee did the same, rocking her slightly until her tears abated. "I missed you last night," she admitted with a small smile. "I hated being apart from you."

"Ah. . . you missed my magnificent, manly body," he teased with a kiss on her forehead. He felt ten pounds lighter now that they had made up.

"That, too." He threw his head back and laughed at her words. She ran her hands along his chest, stopping to caress his distended nipples through the thin shirt. "Can we move away from this window and really make up?" she asked with a wicked grin.

"How much time do you have?" he asked in return, grinning back at her. He was more than ready to show her how truly sorry he was, and how much he'd missed her.

"I don't have _that_ much time!" she laughed, taking his hand in hers. She pulled him a few steps to the back of the ship where no one could see them from the outside. "My passengers should be arriving in about ten minutes. However. . ."

Lee pulled her fully into his arms and traced the length of her back with both hands. He let his hands fall to cup her rear end and pulled her up firmly against his body. At the same time he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her lovingly. She put her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss, her body pressing his back into the door panel.

"I wish we had more time," he moaned into her mouth as she ground her pelvis into his burgeoning erection. He lifted his hands and cupped her face gently. "I love you, Athena Darr. More than anything in the universe."

She smiled softly and twisted her head until she was able to kiss the palm of his hand. "Keep that for me, Lee, until I come back."

He clenched his fist around her kiss and held it against his heart. "Be safe."

"I will," she promised, gently separating their bodies and reaching up to stroke the line of his jaw. "When I come back we'll finish this properly."

"Damn right we will!" He punched the door release button and stepped away as the hatch separated and opened. "Carry on, Lt. Darr."

"Yes, sir, Captain Adama. And thank you, sir."

"My pleasure, lieutenant. My pleasure." Lee walked away, ignoring the Chief's nod of approval.

xxxxx

Athena was the pilot for Raptor One, which was responsible for transporting the Vice President, Chief Tyrol, Socinus, Cally, two other crewmembers she didn't know, and Crashdown, who was to be the mission leader. The XO had indicated that Crash would be in charge of the mission as a test of his abilities. She was going to continue working in the CAG position on a regular basis, whereas Crash was going to be groomed for leadership in these types of away missions. Athena was fine with that, though she wasn't entirely sure Crashdown had what it took to be an effective leader. He was. . . insecure and indecisive, at best. She was the pilot in charge of the Raptor flight, but once they touched ground, it was his ballgame.

"Jump complete," Crashdown reported, working the ECO position during the flight to save space. "Bring the nose down and we should see the planet directly ahead."

A beeping began on the instrument panel and Athena looked at the dradis screen. "What the hell is that? Oh, my gods!" there was a BaseStar and more raiders than she could count right where they had jumped. There was a flash of light and a concussion wave as Raptor Three was destroyed almost immediately by a direct collision with a Raider. Weapons fire began coming at them from all angles and only her excellent reflexes and flying skills kept them intact. There was a crash and vibration in the Raptor and Athena glanced at their instrument panels. "Damn! We have a fire in the turbine!"

"Shutting it down," Crash informed her, working competently and quickly at his own instrument panels.

The Raptor took another hit through the bottom hull and Athena gasped with pain as shrapnel drove up into her side. "Everybody hang on!" she yelled, abruptly maneuvering the Raptor into a controlled spin toward the planet. They had to get away from the frakking squadron of Cylons that were everywhere. Cally was scrambling on the floor beside her with an emergency seal to stop the rapid decompression they were experiencing.

"Can you jump us out?" Galen yelled over the noise of everyone talking, crying and screaming at once.

"No! The FTL drive's been hit," she yelled back, feeling hot warmth seeping from her wound and down her side. She flew an erratic course, trying to make them the worst possible target for Cylon weapons fire that surrounded them.

"Socinus! Get on the horn now and tell Raptor Two to jump back to Galactica! Right now!" the Chief ordered, having to yell to be heard over the noise of the passengers.

In less than a second Socinus had a channel open and was yelling into the wireless. "Jump back to Galactica!" The Vice President was screaming louder than Cally and Seelix, and Athena found herself wishing he would shut the hell up! He was damned annoying and distracting to those who were actually doing something to try and save their asses.

"You are ordered to jump back to Galactica, over!" Socinus repeated, also having to shout to be heard over the Vice President. "You are ordered to jump back to Galactica!"

Athena saw the flash from one side as Raptor Two obeyed and jumped to what she hoped was safer space. Another round of weapons fire hit them, one entering through the canopy. A piece of metal was torn loose from the inside of the Raptor and Athena saw it falling toward her. The last thing she remembered was a sharp pain along the side of her head and then darkness.

xxxxx

Lee was pacing his father's quarters, clasping his hands behind his back to conceal their trembling. One Raptor was positively destroyed and another more than likely crashed into Cylon territory. It couldn't be much worse. Thank the gods Athena was the pilot of the bird that Raptor Two had seen plummeting-but under control-toward the planet. Lee was confident that her flying skills would bring them through at least as far as the ground. Once on the ground he prayed they had the ability to run and evade whatever ground forces the Cylons had in place upon the planet. She had to stay alive until he could go and get her! He would die himself before he left her on that frakking planet!

"How many people did we lose?" President Roslin asked as she walked into the quarters unannounced.

"Ten souls aboard Raptor Three," Lee reported solemnly, his voice breaking slightly. "As for Raptor One, last visual contact was seen under power flight heading toward the surface. Athena is the pilot of that Raptor," he added softly, wanting her to hear it from him and not someone else. He knew that she loved Athena like a daughter and deserved to know what was at stake.

"I see," she whispered, her eyes locking with his in shared pain.

"We need a way to take out the Base Ship before we can attempt a rescue," the Commander informed them, bringing the discussion back on point.

"Starbuck's already working on a plan using the captured Raider to get a nuke into the BaseStar," Colonel Tigh reported tensely.

"The Raider?" the President repeated, her expression darkening.

"When did this happen?" Lee asked sharply, pulling his gaze away from the President and glaring at the XO. He couldn't believe Starbuck would go around him and go directly to Colonel Tigh on her own. It just wasn't done. You didn't bypass your direct superior. Ever.

"About ten minutes ago," the XO said with a shrug. "She said she's working on the details and we'll have a report at 1400."

"I'd like to be briefed on what you plan," the President informed them softly and Lee nodded.

His father looked at him, his expression clouded and unreadable. "Go talk to Starbuck right away."

"My pleasure," Lee snarled as he spun on his heel and headed for the door.

"And report back to me."

"Yes, sir." Lee was totally pissed off at Starbuck again, and this time justifiably so. If they wanted to save Athena and the others, there was no room for cowboy moves. They needed to work together for a change instead of working against each other. It was time Starbuck learned that little lesson. He wasnt going to sacrifice Athena's life to Starbucks vanity and ego.

Only minutes later he stormed onto the hanger deck, where Kara was preparing the Cylon Raider for action. "Lt. Thrace, attention!" Lee shouted, his tone informing everyone in the hanger of his anger. Kara took a drink out of a small bottle and didn't so much as look up at him. "Lt. Thrace, I gave you a command. You will obey it. Attention!"

He pulled the bottle out of her grasp and she slowly came to attention, her pose and demeanor screaming of her wish for him to be on a fast track to hell.

"You do not take your harebrained ideas to the XO without going through me first! Do you understand?" he yelled, her uncaring manner infuriating him even further. There was no time for silly games and power struggles.

"Yes, sir," she responded softly, no trace of emotion in her voice. She was subdued and kept her eyes lowered, refusing to meet his gaze, but he could see tear stains on her cheeks. Her lack of resistance helped Lee to calm down a bit and he took a deep breath.

"At ease. So what's the plan?" he asked in a softer tone. He wanted her input; he really did. She was smart and one of the best minds they had when it came to strategy. He needed her talents and intuition if they were going to save Athena and the others.

"I'm putting an autopilot in the Raider. Jump him to the Baseship," she told him, still avoiding direct eye contact. "Engage the autopilot, punch out, get picked up by a Raptor. The Raider heads to the Baseship."

Lee nodded his understanding. It was a sound plan. "Who then picks up the transponder, allows the Raider to approach and land. Nuke goes off."

"Boom, sir," Starbuck said softly

"Might work. Might get you killed," he added gently.

"Would you miss me, sir?" she added carefully, finally raising her eyes to look at him.

He held her gaze. He could see that she was hurting beneath the go-to-hell attitude. "I need every pilot I have. Even the screw-ups." He handed her back the bottle and walked away. He needed to report to the Commander and then brief the President.

"Captain?" Starbuck called softly, her voice hesitant. Lee stopped and turned around to look at her. "I'm really sorry," she added scarcely above a whisper.

Lee looked at her for a moment, understanding what it had taken for her to apologize, and then turned away. He also knew exactly what she was sorry for, but there was no time to deal with that now. He needed to place every bit of his focus on doing what he could to save Athena. She and the others in that Raptor were what was important now. The rest could wait.

Lee reported to his father and then made his way to the conference room the President used when she was working on board Galactica. He rapped on the hatch and then walked in, hesitating when he realized that President Roslin and Billy were arguing. She excused her aide and listened as he gave her his report on what they planned to do to recover Athena and the others. After he was done she looked at him thoughtfully and then asked him to listen to what she had to say without interruption.

Lee nodded his agreement and then listened to her tell him about her visions and what she believed about Kobol and their search for Earth. In her visions she was the one to lead the remaining human population to a new life on Earth. However, before that, she had to go down to Kobol, find the tomb of Athena, and obtain the map that would guide them.

Lee was rendered speechless for several long moments after she had finished. He wasn't sure what surprised him more-the fact that she was having visions or that she would risk Athena's life so easily on something so. . . out there. The part that alarmed him the most was the fact that she had plans for the Cylon Raider that had nothing to do with getting a rescue team down to the planet to save their people. She wanted someone to use the Raider to return to Caprica to find the golden arrow of Athena, based on visions that might or might not be real.

He stared at her with a combination of shock and horror. "You would risk the lives of every person on that Raptor, Athena's included, to search for a mythical relic that may or may not really exist."

"I would risk any number of lives to save our race from extinction. Besides, you know that the use of the Raider is not the only path to rescuing our people on Kobol. You're not looking at this rationally, Captain," she informed him, shaking her head as if he had disappointed her.

"Rationally? Rationally?" he repeated in amazement at her comment. "What you're proposing is so far from rational Im-"

"I am making a logical, reasoned, factual proposal," she interrupted, still in a calm and controlled voice. The voice he privately considered to be her schoolteachers voice.

"Madam President. . ."

"The scriptures say we came from Kobol. Fact: We have found Kobol. Fact: The scriptures say that on Kobol there is an opera house and a forum. Fact: We've found ruins of both. Fact: The scriptures say a dying leader will show us the way. Fact: I'm dying."

"Fact: I am an officer in the Colonial Fleet," Lee inserted, thinking that she needed a reality check before she did something she would truly regret. "I am sworn to obey the orders of the Fleet Commander. It's not even about your argument, even if it does hold water. . . which _maybe_ it does. I have a duty not to dishonor the oath I took. . . the uniform I wear. . . by an act of disloyalty!"

"You are your father's son," she commented with a slight smile.

He nodded in full agreement. There were many ways in which he and his father were alike, and their belief in their duty was just one of them. "In this case I am. I hope that's not an insult."

"It is not. Thank you, Captain. I do appreciate your time." She looked up at him with a sad smile.

He looked at her for a long moment, still amazed that she would risk the life of the woman she considered as a daughter for this path. That fact alone told Lee how completely serious she was about the visions she was experiencing and the path she was following. "For what its worth. . . There is something very powerful in what you're saying. But it isn't me you have to persuade." He stepped closer to the table and leaned down to lessen the distance between them. "Good luck with my father. I'll work on an alternate plan, just in case. But I will not sacrifice Athena for a myth that may or may not be true."

"Thank you," she whispered, her pain apparent upon her face.

For all her words to the contrary, Lee knew that she was torn by what she felt to be the necessary path for the fleet and the potential loss of someone she loved deeply. He looked at her one last time and left the room. He had some thinking to do. There had to be a way to get the job done against the BaseStar that didn't include the Raider, and it was up to him to come up with it. The President was obviously resolute and powerfully driven by her spiritual visions, but he was just as strongly driven by his need to bring Athena home safely.

She was his future, whether or not they ever found Earth.


	15. Chapter 15

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Chapter Fifteen

Hell is Where the Cylons Are

DAY 50

Starbuck flew the Raider out of the launch tube for their auto pilot test and Lee followed as closely as was safe. He was amazed at how well she could fly the Cylon ship, and he realized why his father considered the strange looking bird as such a strong military asset. Lee still thought it was their safest chance of bringing down the BaseStar orbiting Kobol, but, as he had told his father, there were other options, as well that wouldn't cost them the Raider. All that mattered to him was that they proceeded in as quick a manner as possible. He didn't want to risk other lives, but the longer the survey team was left on the planet, the worse their chances of surviving the threat of Cylon discovery.

"I'm ready over here," Kara said in her calm voice over the radio.

"Okay, Starbuck," Lee replied. "The board is green."

"Copy that. Powering up for the auto pilot test."

Lee followed the Raider as they flew away from the fleet. He waited to hear from her again, and wondered at what was causing the delay. His controls did not show that she had engaged the autopilot that had been installed inside the Cylon ship. He was getting ready to radio her when his instruments indicated the Raider was spinning up its FTL drive.

"What are you doing, Kara?" he asked in surprise. He frowned when she didn't answer, but instead banked away from him and jumped away in a flash of light. What the hell? "Galactica, Apollo. She just jumped away! Repeat Starbuck and the Raider just jumped away!"

He had no idea what had just happened. Where the hell had Starbuck gone? He reversed his Viper and sped back to the Galactica. He had to find out what was going on. Precious time was wasting.

xxxxx

Athena moaned as pain cleared her vision and brought her back to a pain-filled consciousness. She was in Galen's arms only briefly before he gently lay her down on the ground and sprinted away. She clasped a hand over her side, feeling the hot moisture that could only be blood, and watched the chaos at the crashed Raptor. Galen and Crashdown were pulling people out of the burning Raptor, and only seconds after the Vice President was pulled from the ship, it exploded.

"Stay down! Stay down!" Galen yelled to them all as he disobeyed his own orders and ran up to Crashdown and Baltar. "LT, you okay? We got full tanks. Let's see what we got left. Cally, get the supplies before the burn up. Go!"

"Right away."

Athena sat up and opened the top of her flight suit. She rolled the heavy garment down until she could see her wound. Frak! There was an entry wound but no exit, so something was still rattling around inside of her. She only hoped it didn't do any more damage when they had to move. She couldn't afford to be immobilized. She slapped on a pressure bandage and sealed the edges, hoping to at least keep the wound clean and free from infection. She had a massive headache and a gouge out of her forehead from the piece of metal that had hit her, and her hair was sticky with blood, but she would survive. She rolled her suit back up and made her way to where Socinus lay still, his body badly burned from the crash and resulting fire. Galen knelt down beside them, reaching out to place a hand on the young man's chest.

"How's he doing, Chief?" Crashdown asked, trying to work a piece of equipment that Athena didn't even recognize.

Galen glanced at her-his face filled with worry-and then rose to his feet, obviously not wanting to talk in front of Socinus, on the chance the unconscious man could hear them. He sighed heavily and looked at Crashdown. "Not doing so good. I don't know if his lungs are burned, or what."

Crashdown looked down at the Chief, obviously at a loss as to what to say. "Well he's. . . he's a tough kid. He's gonna pull through. Get those wounds looked at, Chief."

"Uh. . . Lieutenant?" Galen said, his worried expression growing even more pronounced. But from the way he glanced around the meadow his worry wasn't about the minor scratches on his face and neck. "Shouldn't we be moving out? I mean, you have a plan for tactical deployment?"

Athena thought Crashdown looked a bit surprised for a moment, and then quickly blanked his expression. "Plan for tactical deployment, Chief? Get to high ground. It'll be our best chance of being seen by a search party."

"High ground is also our best chance of being seen by the Cylons," the Chief informed the other man somewhat hesitantly, and Athena knew that he was trying to tactfully give Crashdown some much-needed advice. It was apparent to her that the lieutenant was not thinking things through as per their particular situation, but would follow textbook rescue guidelines. But those guidelines didn't always apply when the enemy was after you. "They're flying around, sir. They might land the troops before we get rescued."

"That's true," Crashdown agreed, his expression still blank. Athena was beginning to wonder if he was in shock.

"Yeah, sir. If I may suggest we take cover on the ground, maybe somewhere we won't be seen from the air?" the Chief added calmly, glancing at Athena as he obviously tried to be as non-threatening as possible.

"Okay. Yeah, Chief. That's all. Carry on, Chief," he added as he walked away, still working on the piece of non-functioning electrical equipment.

Galen watched him go and then looked at Athena with upraised eyebrows. Athena knew his thoughts immediately. They were in a shitload of trouble with an inexperienced second lieutenant in charge. Crashdown was still thinking like an ECO, not like a leader who needed to get his team to safety. It wasn't that he didn't want to do the right thing but more that he had no idea what the right thing was.

Athena sat next to Socinus, watching the young man so the others could get their gear together to move out. She knew that the longer they stayed by the heavily smoking crash site, the higher the chance theyd be found by Cylons. As it was, she knew she was not in the best of physical conditions and would only be of limited help. She shifted and felt a sharp pain from inside and knew that there was a piece of shrapnel lodged inside her belly. She could only pray that it stayed where it was and didn't do any more damage. She could afford to sit for just a few more minutes and then she needed to be in fighting condition. Crashdown was still wandering around in what appeared to be an aimless manner, letting everyone else do the work that needed to be done.

Athena placed a hand on the burned man's shoulder as he moaned and found herself praying. Praying that the brave young man who had only got out of the brig the day before would make it to medical help. Praying that Crashdown would get himself together, remember his training, and do what needed to be done. Praying that Galen, Cally and the other two specialists would be up to whatever was ahead of them. Praying that _she_ would be up to whatever was ahead, as well. Athena had no doubt that Lee would be coming after her because she knew that if he were on the planet and she on Galactica, she would be the driving force behind his rescue.

She expected no less from the man she loved.

xxxxx

Lee was taken by complete surprise to discover that Kara had taken the Raider back to Caprica at the express direction of President Roslin. Obviously there were things going on that he didn't understand, but never in a million years would Lee have expected Kara to take a step against the Commander such as this one. For all intents and purposes, she had just committed mutiny. Worse still, mutiny directly against the old man. The man she loved like a father.

Putting his emotions and confusion aside, Lee outlined the alternative plan to destroy the BaseStar by Kobol, and his father agreed that it would most likely work. They decided that it would be Boomer who would fly her Raptor with a Cylon transponder, jump into the space around Kobol, and nuke the Cylon ship. Thank the gods Kara had pulled the enemy transponder out of the Raider before she took off on her mission-whatever it was!

His father angrily ordered Colonel Tigh and Lee to lead a party of Marines to Colonial One, forcibly board the ship and arrest President Roslin. Lee silently complied, his mind numb as he wondered to himself when things had begun to spiral so far out of control. Here he was, heading off to arrest one woman whom he admired greatly, when all he wanted to be doing was leading the rescue mission to save another woman whom he loved. Was there no end to this craziness?

Their Raptors attached to the hull of Colonial One and cut their way inside. The Marines led the way into the Presidents office, with Lee and Colonel Tigh following. Within seconds, Lee found himself in the middle of a stand-off. . . guns being pointed on both sides, with both sides determined not to yield.

"Madam President. No one needs to get hurt here," Colonel Tigh said tensely, his expression showing absolutely no sign of his willingness to yield or negotiate. He would absolutely follow his orders regardless of the consequences or who might get hurt.

"Then why don't you get off my ship, Colonel?" President Roslin responded from her position behind her civilian security staff.

"I am placing you under arrest!" the Colonel stated, a hint of agitation forming in his voice.

Lee realized that things were totally frakked up. His numbness turned to outrage as he realized that the only way out of this standoff would no doubt result in lives lost on both sides. He couldn't let that happen! He had hand picked each of the civilian security staff and he knew that they would go to their deaths to protect the President, even from the military itself. Tigh and the Marines would follow the Commander's orders to the letter, even though this was an assinine thing they were doing.

Their presence on Colonial One and what they were doing was wrong on so many levels! The President may have acted rashly, but to arrest her without due process was just as rash and thoughtless. The repercussions could potentially divide the fleet, who were already chaffing at being led and controlled by the military. It was only President Roslin acting as a go-between who kept things from spiraling out of control.

"No," Lee said, making a decision that he knew could change his life forever. "We're not doing this."

"I'm in command here, Captain!" the XO stated in an attempt to keep control of the situation. A muscle in his cheek twitched as he looked from the President and back to Lee. His blue eyes were cold and hard and as unyielding as the Commander's had been when he'd given the order to arrest the President.

"Colonel, this is wrong," Lee told him, praying the man would see reason but knowing it was unlikely. The old man was wrong to deal with the President in this manner. As President, Laura Roslin had an obligation to do what she believed best for the people she represented, in the same manner he and his father had an obligation to do what they thought best to protect them. There was a fine line between protecting people and dictating their actions. There had to be a better way than what they were doing at that particular moment.

"You're relieved," Colonel Tigh snarled. "Fall back. Madam President, I wish to-"

Lee pulled his weapon and had it pressed to the other man's head in a smooth move that took the entire room by surprise, and halted the Colonel's words in his mouth. "Men! Lay down your weapons," Lee ordered the Marines within the room, not really believing that they would listen, but knowing he had to try.

"Have you lost your frakking mind?" the XO roared, his eyes shocked and angry at what he undoubtedly saw as Lee's betrayal.

"Colonel, tell the Marines to fall back," Lee ordered, hating the way his voice shook. He was _way_ out of his comfort zone and knew he had crossed a line that he could never step back over. But, by the gods, he had made his choice for the upholding of the government and the democracy it served, and his father was never going to understand. Never accept. Never forgive.

"This is mutiny! You know that," Colonel Tigh stated in a controlled yet furious tone, stating what Lee had already thought of. He'd just followed Starbuck into mutiny against his father, gods help him!

"Yes, I do. But you can tell my father I'm listening to my instincts. And my instincts tell me we cannot sacrifice our democracy just because the President makes a bad decision," he told the older man smoothly, pressing the gun a bit harder against his head. His father was always on him to make a choice-to choose a side. Well, he'd done it and the old man would not be pleased that it was not the side of the military. It was a twist of irony that he'd followed Starbuck into mutiny on the very same day.

"Put your guns down," President Roslin commanded firmly, her voice pulling everyone's eyes away from the tense by-play between Lee and Colonel Tigh.

"Madam President, stand back," Lee warned, not wanting her to get hurt in whatever was about to happen.

"Put your gun down, Captain," she said calmly, walking around the security team until she stood right next to him. Her expression was shocked and sorrowful, as though she had not expected this particular turn of events. "I will not have bloodshed-neither your men nor my people on Colonial One. Put your gun down. All of you! Please put your guns down."

Colonel Tigh never took his eyes off Lee, his expression still one of disbelief and absolute fury. Lee didn't know what to do. If he lowered his weapon, both he and the President would be taken into custody, which was not how he'd envisioned things would turn out. Hell, he hadn't really thought it through as to how this particular conflict would end. He'd just known that he was on the wrong side going against the President in such a manner. He sighed heavily, knowing that he was committed to the President, no matter where that particular road led. He lowered his weapon from its place at the XOs head and let the older man grab it out of unresisting fingers.

"Let's go. Excuse me," a Marine said calmly as he stepped up and placed a handcuff on one of Lee's wrists. Lee held the second wrist out and let the soldier do his job, cuffing his hands in front of his body. The Marine gave Lee an apologetic look and a respectful nudge toward the door. "Let's go, Captain."

Lee took a final look at the President and let himself be escorted from the room. The excitement was over for the moment, but the shit was really going to hit the fan when his father discovered what had occurred. Lee heard the President speak, subtly expressing her control over the situation.

"Let's go," she told Colonel Tigh, as she left the room under her own steam, hands free, following Lee.

Gods! Lee thought with a shake of his head. You had to admire the womans grit. She never gave up and never gave in. She was in control regardless of the situation. He hoped she had what it took to deal with the Commander, because he knew his father wasn't going to be giving him the time of day from this moment on.

Lee had chosen his side, all right, but it hadn't been his fathers.

x

When Lee arrived on Galactica it was to the disbelieving eyes of the crew. The deck crew stood gaping, along with everyone whose path they crossed in the corridors that led to the CIC. When he was brought into the CIC he was told to stand to one side, and he made sure they were out of the way. Lt. Gaeta, D, and the other crewmembers he knew best watched incredulously as he simply stood there handcuffed and waiting for the old man to arrive. Whatever was going to happen, he would be certain to stand his ground and vowed to himself not to show one bit of remorse or regret. He had made his choice, knowing it would not be a popular one, and he would live with the consequences.

From one side of the room Boomer and Racetrack entered, apparently having been successful in their mission to destroy the Cylon Base ship. A rescue party could now be formed to go down and pick up Athena and the others on her ship. That was an enormous load lifted off his mind! In the drama of what had unfolded upon Colonial One, Lee had been forced to set aside his worries of what was going on down on the planet Kobol. He was still, as he always had been, confident that Athena was alive. He was only sorry he would now not be one of the ones to go and get her.

"Hey, nice work," Lt. Gaeta said, walking up and shaking Boomers hand.

"What's going on?" she asked, her eyes enormous as they moved from Lee's handcuffed hands and back to the lieutenant.

"A lot happened while you were gone. Congrats," the officer of the deck told her, moving away as the Commander and XO entered, apparently having come straight from the brig.

Lee figured he'd be joining the President in his own cell soon enough. But first, there was no doubt in his mind that the old man wanted to make an example of him. To have the crew see that anyone who disobeyed orders-even his own son-would be humiliated and made infinitely sorry for the choices they made. Well, that would never happen, Lee thought resolutely. He wasn't sorry for his choice, and choosing democracy over the absolute dictatorship of his father would never bring humiliation to him.

The Commander looked at Lee, his eyes dark and foreboding, but his expression giving nothing away to those around him. He deliberately turned away from Lee to address Boomer and Racetrack. "Congratulations to both of you. You carried off a very difficult and dangerous mission, and you did it despite any personal misgivings you may or may not have had."

Lee knew the words were meant for him as well as the Raptor team, and were meant to express what Lee had _not_ done. The old man was beyond angry. He was livid and he didn't care who knew it.

"And for that, I'm very proud. Thank you," he congratulated as he reached out and shook Racetrack's hand.

"Thank you, sir." She shook the Commander's hand, her own expression proud and gleeful. She had done well and knew it. That was always a good feeling for a pilot at the end of a mission.

"Thank you," the old man said again, holding his hand out to Sharon.

But before Lee's eyes could register its appearance, Boomer had her sidearm out and pointed at his father. She shot him once, her expression never changing. Lee felt his jaw drop in complete shock before he gathered his wits and began to yell. "No! No!"

The gun discharged yet again before the Marines in the room with him could react and get to Sharon. They pulled her to the floor and removed the weapon from her limp and unresisting hand. At the same time Lee was moving toward his father, who had fallen back onto one of the position-monitoring tables. Lee's mind was numb and unthinking as he reached his father and saw the two bullet wounds, one in his upper abdomen and one in his lower chest. He leaned forward, placing his hands over the top wound as Colonel Tigh moved to do the same with the lower wound.

"Dad! Dad!" Lee heard himself yelling as if from an enormous distance, feeling hot tears fill his eyes and distort his vision of his father lying motionless upon the table. Even still he could see the pool of blood widening beneath them, and knew his father was critically injured. "Someone get the doctor! Gods! Dad!" he cried, pressing his forehead to his fathers. This was not happening! He could not be losing his father after they had come so far and gone through so much. This could not be happening!

Lee let his tears fall upon his father's face, not seeing the people in the room as events continued to swirl around him. He let Colonel Tigh push him aside as the XO used both hands to put pressure on both wounds while Lee supported his father's head with trembling arms, feeling the hot sticky blood that flowed from the unmoving yet still living body. Please, he prayed silently to the gods. Please let the old man live so they could argue another day! Don't let him die like this, thinking Lee had betrayed him.

"Where are the medics? Where's Doc Cottle?" he yelled at no one in particular, trusting that the CIC crew, though shocked by what had happened, would still function and do their jobs.

"Make a hole!" someone yelled, and Lee realized that the medics had finally arrived. A Med Tech he knew vaguely as Ishay hurried up and began cutting and tearing away his father's uniform blouse. "He's off ship on rounds in the fleet. Stand clear!"

Colonel Tigh stepped back, but Lee kept his hold upon his fathers head, just moving so that he was not in their way. The only way he was moving was if a dozen Marines arrived to pull him away! He watched in a daze, catching pieces of the conversations that flowed around them. The medics spoke urgently and softly to each other, completely focused on the Commander. The XO ordered Sharon, who Lee now realized in shock could only be a Cylon, secured in the high security brig. Gaeta hastily updated Captain Kelly on what had just occurred. All these things happened around Lee, though he paid attention to none of it. He kept his eyes locked upon his fathers pale face, fearing that if he moved his father would be alone. Lee prayed silently, as he had never done before, knowing that only the gods could help his father now.

Ishay moved aside so a gurney could be pulled up to the table before once more yelling, "Make a hole!" Lee reluctantly let his father be pulled out of his arms and moved to follow the gurney. He couldn't leave the old man alone. His father had been alone too much in his life already.

"Sergeant, secure Captain Adama," someone ordered, and one on the Marines moved to grab onto Lee's upper arm.

"Put him in the brig," Lee heard Colonel Tigh order harshly from somewhere behind him.

Lee struggled, trying to follow the gurney that was now moving quickly away and out of the CIC. "Colonel! Colonel Tigh!"

"Lets go," the Marine said softly, his very tone indicating his reluctance to follow the order hed been given.

"I didn't do this! He's my father!" Lee yelled at the XO, furious that the man would keep him from his father at a time like this. "Colonel! Colonel!" he continued to yell as two Marines physically dragged him out of the CIC and down a corridor. Lee struggled against his escort the entire way to the brig, his entire being focused on fighting his own Marines, though he knew it would do no good. It wasn't until he was standing, trembling from head to toe in a cell with the door slamming shut that he was actually aware of his surroundings.

"Captain! What have they done to you?" the President asked in a shocked voice, rising to stand next to the bars that separated them. Her eyes took in his blood-covered hands and arms with a horrified expression covering her face. "What's going on?"

"My father's been shot," he answered woodenly, anger and fear still flowing furiously through his veins.

"What?"

Lee looked at his hands, covered and sticky with his father's deep red blood. There had been so much blood! How could anyone live after losing so much of the stuff? He noticed the metal binders still keeping his wrists firmly together. "Someone get this frakking thing off me, please?" he demanded harshly, though trying to keep his voice calm.

"I'm not authorized to do that yet," the guard said quietly, almost apologetically.

"I'm behind the frakking bars!" Lee yelled at the top of his lungs. He held his hands out in front of him, struggling against the hard metal, though he knew it was beyond useless. But he couldn't stop himself from straining against the totally unnecessary restraints. Where the hell was he going to go?

"Captain," the President whispered to him through the bars between their cells. "How bad is it?"

Lee paced back and forth, suddenly knowing how a caged lion felt every day of its frakking life. He looked over at her for the first time, seeing the fear and worry in her own dark eyes. He realized that he wasn't the only one caged and kept away from where they needed to be. He sighed heavily, letting the anger leave his body in a sudden rush, only to have it be replaced with a horrible feeling of absolute despair. "Bad. Two bullets to the chest."

"Is Doc Cottle with him?"

"No," he answered softly, sitting down upon the cot and resting his elbows on his knees. Every bit of energy and emotion had seemed to just vacate his body in an instant, and it was all he could do to keep himself upright. "Doc Cottle's not on board."

Without warning, Lee felt the sensation that told him the Galactica had engaged her FTL and jumped. To have no warning of a jump was amazingly rare, and Lee realized that something else had to be happening out there. Something dire.

"We just jumped," he told the President, noting her hands grasping the bars to maintain her balance. "Something else must be happening. First my father. And now we've left Athena behind on Kobol. There's nothing left," he added brokenly, realizing that he was now completely alone.

All that he loved had been ripped away in the most brutal of manners and he was left adrift. He was in the brig, covered with his father's blood. His father. . . who was living or dying alone in the isolation of the Medical Unit. Lee just sat there staring at his bloody hands. He had no more emotion to expend. It was as if his own heart had been torn from his chest. Because he knew that even if Athena had survived the crash of the Raptor, each moment she was stranded on Kobol brought less chance of her staying alive.

A hot tear dripped from his face down onto his leg. He guessed he still had some emotion left he thought as he began to sob quietly.

What the hell had he done?

xxxxx

Athena carried one of the backpacks of gear while Specialists Tarn and Seelix prepared the stretcher that held the severely injured Socinus. Crashdown was suddenly motivated to leave the crash site, and now rushed everyone along with a kind of frenetic energy that scared her. He was like a man possessed, and she didn't like what was possessing him.

Cally walked up to the Vice President, who was lying back on the stones of the ruin, his eyes closed. "We're moving out, sir. Get up. And if you wouldn't mind carrying something this time, that would be great." Baltar sat up and looked at the younger woman as though trying to gauge her tone. Cally tossed a Marine shirt over his shoulders and walked away without another word.

Seelix, who fortunately was a trainee field Medic, pulled a syringe out of a medical kit and leaned over the injured man, her smile strained. "This is serisone. It should help you breathe a little easier." She injected him directly into the upper chest near the base of his neck and then gave him a gentle pat.

Athena knew that the sound of Socinus breathing was an indication of bad things going on inside the man. Galen walked up and knelt next to the stretcher, plastering on a smile that was overly wide and did not reach his worried eyes. "Take it easy. You'll be up, feeling better, in a few minutes."

"Excuse me, sir," Seelix said, moving the Chief aside. She looked at Tarn, who was an assistant deck mechanic for the Chief, and they both picked up an end of the stretcher. Athena wished she could help, but the load of the backpack was already a strain on her own injuries, and she knew she'd never be able to lift the weight of even a small man like Socinus.

"It hurts," Socinus groaned, the portions of his face that were not burned or bloody appearing much too pale.

"I know," Seelix answered with a heavy sigh. There was pity in her voice, along with more than a tinge of helplessness. The man needed a real doctor in a real Medical Unit and they all knew it.

They started moving toward the tree line, and Athena watched as Baltar pulled on the shirt he'd been given and moved toward Crashdown, who was scanning the area with his binoculars. "If you don't mind me asking, where are we going?" the Vice President asked nervously.

"The tree line. We can hide but still see the crash site in case Galactica sends a rescue party," Crashdown told him, still continuing to scan the area.

"Galactica _will_ be sending a rescue party!" the doctor responded emphatically.

A rumbling noise interrupted any other words he might have been intending, and Athena instinctively dove to the ground, glad to see that Galen had done the same. The Chief ordered the three specialists and Baltar to the ground and told them that the sound had been Cylon spacecraft entering the atmosphere.

"Seelix, grab the ammo!" Crashdown ordered, rising when it was clear that the Cylons were not in the immediate area. "Staggered formation. I'll take point. Chief, youre bringing up the rear. Be ready to double-time it, people."

Even in a time like this, when Athena was one of the most experienced people in the group, she was surprised to discover that Crashdown was almost ignoring her existence. It was as though he were afraid if he were to acknowledge her, she might try to override his authority. She was a full lieutenant whereas he was only a second, but the XO had placed him in charge and told her she was just the pilot on this trip, and to let Crash do his thing. She knew that this was to have been Crashdown's test to see how well he handled authority and could run an away team. So far, she wasn't sure she like what she had seen, but there was nothing bad enough to make her step in. Besides, as fuzzy and odd as her head felt, she wasn't sure her decisions would be any more effective than his. She was far from at the top of her game.

"El-tee!" Galen said urgently, "I think we should double-check the supplies before we bug out!" Athena silently agreed. There was no way of knowing how long they were going to be on the planet, and they would undoubtedly need every item they had been able to salvage from the Raptor.

"Sorry, Chief. We don't have the time," Crashdown stated firmly without even looking at the other man, overriding the Chief's suggestion. "If that was an aircraft turbine, theyre gonna be on us at any moment."

"Crash," Athena inserted calmly, knowing that he was panicking and reacting, rather than thinking and planning things out. "We've got to make sure we have everything! We could be out here a long time."

"We don't have the time!" he yelled back, looking at her for the first time.

His eyes challenged her to continue, but it was the fear she saw in them that made Athena cease speaking. The man was plainly terrified, probably of both the Cylons and the potential of making mistakes, and she didn't want to be what sent him over the edge. He jerked his eyes away and moved off, rushing the others along.

Galen looked at her, his jaw clenched and his eyes sparkling with repressed anger. "Damn it! Gods damn it!"

Athena sighed heavily, securing the pack on her back and pulling out her sidearm before following after the others. They were in deep, deep trouble.

xxxxx

Lee was in a dark place.

His life had never been an easy one, but he had never experienced the despair and hopelessness that engulfed him at that particular moment. All he could do was sit on the cot, his elbows braced upon his knees as he stared at his bloody hands. His tears had ceased as the President and Billy talked quietly, several times trying to pull him into the conversation. He resisted their attempts and tuned them out. His mind was so numb that all he could do was picture his father's bloody body and silently chant Athena's name in his head. His own version of a silent prayer for her safety.

"We have to get them to jump back," the President stated urgently. "We can't stay here! Lt. Thrace won't be able to find us once she retrieves the arrow from Caprica."

"If she retrieves the arrow," Billy responded glumly.

"She'll retrieve the arrow," the President said with a strong tone of certainty. "Captain, you've got to get reinstated. You've got to get back to the CIC. You've got to denounce me. . . disavow me. . . whatever you need to do. Colonel Tigh cannot relocate this fleet on his own without your father."

Lee snorted lightly to himself. Relocate the fleet! Billy had discovered that when the Galactica had jumped, it had jumped to entirely different coordinates than the rest of the fleet. Apparently, the fleet coordinates were about to be updated when the Commander had been shot and, in the craziness that had ensued, the new coordinates hadn't been transmitted to the civilian ships of the fleet. So when the Galactica jumped, it was to the updated coordinates. Alone. That had to have been a hell of a shock, Lee thought. Then he looked up at President Roslin, who was waiting for an answer.

"Tigh's not letting me out of here. I put a gun to his head. He won't forget that anytime soon." That was the understatement of the century. No doubt if the Colonel thought he could get away with it-and Lee was somebody other than an Adama-he'd have Lee executed where he stood.

"I am so sorry that I got you into this, Captain," she said sorrowfully.

"No. Don't apologize. I knew what I was doing," he told her, realizing that none of it was truly her fault. She had made her decision to send Starbuck on a mission in direct defiance to the Commander. He had made the decision to follow her and support her authority. "I knew what I was doing. I. . . and I didn't do it for you. I did it for. . . well actually, I did it for nothing, turns out." He had been trying to make a stand for the democracy of their society. Trying to make sure that the fleet did not turn into a populace ruled by the dictatorship on one person. His father.

"That's not true," she retorted firmly. "You took a stand."

"And now look at us." Lee looked back down at his hands. At the drying, sticky blood that stained them. In his mind that blood was not only his father's, but Athena's as well. While he was trapped in the frakking brig, gods knew how far from the planet that was most likely Kobol, his father and the woman he loved more than life were both dying. One on an operating table and one on a hostile planet surrounded by the enemy.

They would all be better off if it were his blood that had been shed.

xxxxx

"Watch your feet," the Chief warned as they all entered the tree line and the underbrush grew thicker. Seelix and Tarn were silently straining with the stretcher and were both covered with the sweat of their exertion.

"Everybody take five," Crashdown ordered.

The specialists lowered the stretcher gratefully, and Cally collapsed nearby. Athena dropped her pack and stepped up to Galen, taking the rifle from his hands. He needed a break and she knew he wanted to check on Socinus. She took a position where she could see around them and stood watch, leaning in near exhaustion upon a tree.

"Give me a med kit," Seelix ordered, and then dug inside the one Cally tossed toward her.

Athena turned away from them all, focusing on the valley they had just come from. If the Cylons were going to land, they would have to land somewhere in the valley and avoid the wooded area. She concentrated on breathing in and out, mentally bracing herself against the pain. Her head was a constant ache that pounded like drums within her skull, and her side burned like fire. She was hurting, but she knew she was in a lot better shape than Socinus or the dead Marine they'd left behind at the burning Raptor.

The sound of raised voices brought her attention back to the group. Apparently, one of the medical kits had been left behind and Crashdown was laying the blame on Tarn.

Just frakking great!

"Sir," Seelix said with resignation as she stared exhaustedly up at Crashdown, "his lungs are filling up with fluid. If he doesn't get more serisone soon, he's not going to make it."

Crashdown rose to his feet and approached Tarn. "All right, Tarn. You forgot the med kit, so youre gonna have to go back and get it. Take a rifle, three clips of ammo and a canteen."

"What?" the young mechanic asked, his eyes widening with shock and fear.

"Move!"

"Frak!" Athena muttered to herself as she realized she was going to have to step in. She put a protective hand over her side as the movement sent fire-like pain through her side, and walked over to Crashdown.

"Look Crash, he can't go alone," Galen said, also approaching the lieutenant at the same time. "He's just a green technician and he isn't trained for this."

"Are you questioning my orders?" Crashdown asked in a tense voice, his eyes wild as they looked everywhere but at Athena as she stood beside the Chief.

"No, he's not," she said in her softest, calmest voice, looking unblinkingly at the heavily breathing lieutenant. "He's just pointing out a flaw in your plan. It doesn't need to be any bigger than that. Tyrol and I can to with him. We're combat trained. The rest of you can wait here with Socinus."

"All right. Fine," he agreed, abruptly turning away from the intensity and authority of her gaze. Giving in to her while trying not to appear to have given in before the witness of the others. She didn't give a damn how or why he did it, as long as he listened and didn't send Tarn off like a lamb to slaughter.

"Cally, Seelix. . . stay here and keep an eye out for Socinus," the Chief told his crew, nodding at them reassuringly.

"Stay still and stay hidden," Athena instructed them in an undertone. She looked at Tarn. "Drop your backpack. We move quiet and fast. Sidearm out. Galen, you take point and Tarn, bring up the rear," she added, looking at the nervous young man.

Galen nodded at her, his eyes showing his gratitude for her support. She knew that nothing was more important to him than protecting the crew he considered his kids. "Shh! Eyes and ears," he warned Tarn and moved off, rifle at the ready.

Athena pulled her sidearm and followed, her free hand pressed firmly against her side in an attempt to alleviate some of the pain. Hell couldn't be any worse than Kobol!

x

After a two-hour walk back the way they had come, they carefully approached the now smoldering Raptor, Tarn walking point. Galen had refused to let Athena lead, perhaps realizing that her injury was not as slight as she had tried to convince him. It was a good thing, too. Her existence was now blurred by a gray haze of pain, and Athena wasn't even sure that she'd see a Cylon before it was upon them. She was no good to the team, and only prayed she wouldn't become a hindrance or a danger to the others. She dropped to the ground to rest.

"Hey, Tarn," Galen called out softly, his eyes scanning the landscape that surrounded them. "Go up, take a look. It it's not there, it's at the Raptor. We'll have to move up more."

Athena rested on her hands and knees, concentrating on her breathing and not throwing up. In and out. Pain can be endured. In and out. Pain can be controlled. Just frakking breathe!

"How you doing?" Galen asked, moving to stand beside her, his leg bracing against her shoulder in physical and emotional support. She leaned gratefully into him and nodded, afraid to speak. "Youre a frakking idiot to have come. I could have brought Cally."

"Cally can't shoot," she panted. "You need me."

He squatted and his hand came down to rest firmly upon her the back of her neck. "Frak yes, I need you. If you die were all at Crashdown's mercy."

"I got it!" Tarn said excitedly, jogging up to them with the medical kit in his hands.

Galen gently helped Athena to her feet and gave her a questioning look.

"I won't hold us back," she breathed, taking the red medical kit from Tarn with her free hand, her sidearm still held in the other.

"All right. Let's get the hell out of here," Galen ordered. "Tarn, you're on point again. Lets go. Go, go, go!"

Athena followed Tarn, her eyes focused between a combination of his back and the ground she trod heavily upon. She could do it. It was just a few hours walk. All she had to do was just keep putting one foot in front of the other and breathe. Just walk and breathe!

Tarn led them for the first hour of their trek back to the others, and Athena was relieved when Galen called out softly for them to take a rest. She knew that he had called the break for her benefit, but she was beyond caring. If she didn't sit down soon, she was going to fall down and not get back up. Tarn turned around with a grateful smile, but that smile turned into a grimace of pain as several bullets exploded through his chest.

"Get down! Get down!" Galen yelled, diving behind a tree.

Athena dove into the edge of an embankment, her eyes tracking where the bullets had originated. "Top of the ridge!" she yelled and began firing her weapon.

"AJ! Cover me!" Galen shouted, his own weapon firing at where the Cylons were shooting from. She began to fire and he darted forward, trying to get to Tarn. Bullets were still being fired all around the other man, who lay groaning upon the dirt. Galen reached Tarn and frantically pulled him toward Athena and the shelter of the embankment.

"Galen! Hurry up!" she yelled, her fire ineffectual against the uphill advantage the Cylons had. "I can't even see them!" she added, no longer firing because she had no target. Her ammunition was limited, and she couldn't afford to waste it on random shooting.

"You're okay! You're okay!" Galen was telling Tarn as he pulled the man up onto his feet. "Get on my back. Get on me!" he yelled, his adrenaline giving him the strength to pull the other man up over his shoulders.

The Chief took off running and Athena fired at the ridge, trying to provide the men with covering fire. She followed, firing until the ridge was out of sight, but the Cylons didn't fire another shot. They ran for a full five minutes before Athena managed to catch up with the Chief, who was beginning to tire beneath his load.

"Galen, stop!" she gasped, the pain from her side almost unbearable. "They're not following. Galen!"

The Chief stopped, gently letting Tarn's limp body fall to the ground. "I know you're hurt, buddy. It's okay. I'm gonna check you. You're gonna be okay. It's not bad. It's not bad," he chanted as he pulled the young man's shirt open. "AJ, check the ridge!"

Athena scanned the ridge and the area from which they had come, seeing nothing. For some reason, the Cylons were not following them at all. She leaned weakly against a tree, her sidearm at the ready just in case they should show up.

"I want to go home," Tarn groaned in a weak, tremulous voice

"I know. We're going home. We are. Okay?" he murmured, pulling open the medical kit and trying to stem the bleeding from the bullet wounds.

"Take me with you!" the injured man gasped, his breathing slowing.

"Shh! It's okay. Stay with me, Tarn. Look at me! Look at me! Come on! Come on!"

Athena watched silently as Tarn's eyes clouded and his chest stopped moving. The young technician was dead. She scanned the ridge again, grateful that they were still in the clear. But they sure as hell needed to move out.

"Galen. Galen? We've got to go. We've got to go _now_," she told him, stepping forward and resting a hand on his shoulder, in much the same way he had done for her earlier. She saw his lips moving silently, and knew that he was praying for the brave young man. "Galen?"

"Gods damn this stupid frakked up crap!" he yelled, panting as his emotions momentarily took control.

Athena leaned down and repacked the medical kit. There was nothing else they could do for Tarn, but Socinus was still waiting for the medical supplies.

"Galen. Socinus needs us now. Come on." Athena grabbed him by the shirt and pulled hard enough to slightly upset his tenuous balance. "Let's go. Now!" she yelled, taking the medical kit and heading back toward the others. She looked back to make sure he was coming and saw him pull the ID tags from around the dead mans neck. He picked up his rifle and wordlessly followed.

xxxxx

Lee watched Colonel Tigh walk into the brig and stand silently in front of the cell where he sat. Lee didn't speak, knowing there was nothing he could say that would make a difference to the XO. His voice cold, the XO told Lee what had occurred. That the Galactica was alone in space, having jumped to emergency coordinates that the rest of the fleet had not yet received prior to the attack upon the Commander. Though it must have angered the man to no end, he acknowledged that he needed Lee if they were to get back to the rest of the fleet. Lee listened and then rose and walked to the cell door. Tigh nodded at the guard and the door was opened. Lee stepped up to the Colonel and looked at him.

"All right. You have my parole. When I'm on duty I'll make no attempt to free the President or sow insurrection among the crew," he stated, unable to keep the acid out of his tone. He held his hands up and breathed a sigh of relief when the restraints were finally removed from his red and raw wrists. "When I'm not on duty, I'll report directly back to this cell."

He rubbed his sticky, blood encrusted hands together, wanting nothing more than to get to a head and get his father's blood washed off of him. He didn't need the reminder that his father was fighting for his life in the medical unit. He wanted to get cleaned up, get the ship back to the fleet, and then do what was needed to rescue Athena and the others from Kobol.

"Pre-flight brief is underway in the Ready Room," the XO informed him, staring at him coldly. It was a sign of his desperation that he was even in the brig speaking to Lee. There had been no love lost between them before and now. . . now there was nothing but disgust and hatred.

"Right." Lee turned to the door, eager to do what needed to be done.

"Good hunting, Captain," the President called after him.

Lee stopped and turned to look at her. She had remained silent the entire time the XO had been in the room. Probably not wanting to impede the goal of Lee obtaining even his partial freedom. "Thank you, Madam President." He strode out the door and went directly to his quarters. Within minutes he was in a clean uniform and standing in front of his squadron. He acted as though the events of the previous day had not occurred, and focused entirely on the mission at hand. Nothing could be done to help Athena until this first step was taken.

The fleet had to be reunited.

x

Lee and his nuggets exited their Vipers to find a darkened hanger bay. It had been a hell of a fight. The Galactica had jumped back to their previous location, needing to wait until Lt. Gaeta worked his computer magic and plotted the coordinates that the fleet had used in their jump. The Vipers had defended the Galactica until seconds before the second jump had been made, and the relief at surviving such overwhelming numbers of Cylon raiders was almost tangible. Lee's only regret was that a new sort of Raider had gotten past them, though he had damaged it enough that it lost control and had crashed into the starboard flight pod. However, there had been no explosions and no fire, so he suspected they had gotten off lightly. Who the frak cared if there was damage to the obsolete museum!

His nuggets were happily reliving their most recent successful battle and Lee listened in tolerantly. He could hardly remember when he had been so green. It was good to see them acting young and excited over a job well done. He directed the flight crew to tie down the ships and secure the ordinance before he and the other pilots picked up flashlights and made their way through the darkness. No one knew why just yet, but the Galactica was having electrical and telephone interruptions and most of the ship was dark.

Lee only knew that he needed to get to the CIC and make sure they had relocated the rest of the fleet.

"Jesus!" Kat screamed as they turned a corner and walked right into a Cylon Centurion.

"Cylons! Come on! Move!" Lee yelled, his heart racing from the shock and terror at walking right into a fully activated Centurion. He backpedaled, watching in horror as Flyboy was almost sliced in half by the swing of a Centurion arm with dagger-like fingers. Blood spurted warmly across Lee's face as Flyboy's body flew backwards faster than Lee could run, pulling Kat along with him. "Come on! Let's get out of here! Come on! Go, go, go!"

He could hear the Centurion chasing them through the darkness as they raced down the corridor. His heart was pumping like a racehorse and he experienced fear like he had never before known. Seeing an actual Centurion in a museum was nothing like facing one that was active and set on killing you!

"My gods! It's coming!" Kat screamed as they reached a ladder leading to an upper deck.

"Get the hell out!" He pushed Kat and Hotdog up the ladder, hearing the pounding footsteps approaching from behind. "Get up! Get out! Go now, now!" he yelled, knowing that they would never make it up the ladder in time. He spun around in time to see the Centurion approaching at an amazing speed and began unloading his sidearm into the metal monster. The rounds had little effect and still the Cylon came running. Lee was just accepting that he wouldn't live to see if his father recovered, or if Athena was rescued from Kobol, when be both heard and felt an explosion that knocked the Cylon off its feet into a pile of twisted metal.

"All right, Captain?" a Marine called from behind where the Cylon had been.

There were three Marines standing in the corridor and Lee had never wanted to kiss another man so badly! He took a deep breath to steady his shaking body and shook his head in amazement. "I'm still breathing, so I guess that's all right. Kat! Hotdog! You all right?"

"Think so," Hotdog said in an unsteady voice as he jumped down the ladder.

"Can I get back to you on that?" Kat asked, surprising Lee with her ability to joke at such a moment.

"Sitrep?" Lee asked the fully armored Marines, who were still fanned out and watching the corridor for more enemy Cylons.

"We've been boarded, sir. We don't know how many, where they are, or where theyre headed. Our standard ammo doesn't even make a dent. The explosive rounds are the only way to take them down," the ranking Marine reported, his eyes never leaving the corridor.

"How many rounds you got?" Lee asked, thinking about what they should do and where they should go next. Odds were the Cylons would head for the magazines.

"That was our last one."

Frak! He pulled a pen and notepad out of a small arm pocket and began scribbling information for the XO at the CIC. "All right. Hotdog. . . You take this to the CIC. Give it to Colonel Tigh or the officer in charge." He handed the paper to the pale young man and put the pen and notepad back into his pocket.

"Yes, sir." The young man took off through the darkness.

"Marines, lets go toaster shopping."

"All clear, sir," the Marine at the corner leading into the next corridor reported.

"Okay, stay on me," Lee ordered Kat, proud of how well the young pilot was handling the horrific situation.

"Yes, sir.

Lee considered where they were and decided that their first stop would have to be the brig. If the President was still there, she needed to be moved somewhere else safer. If there was actually anywhere on the ship that was safe. When Corporal Venner opened the door, Lee entered, ordering the Marines to watch the companionway until they were ready to go.

"We've been boarded," he informed the President and her guard. The President was out of her cell and both Cpl. Venner and Billy had been in position between her and the hatch he had entered. "This deck is crawling with Cylons. They're trying to get to the magazines."

"How can we help?" President Roslin asked, her voice quivering slightly.

"Stay alive and don't get shot," he told her with an intent look. "Leave the Cylons to us." He thought about where everything was on Deck Twelve, and where she should be the safest. "Okay. Sickbay is the safest spot. It's farthest away from any potential targets and its designed to function as a disaster shelter in case the ship is lost."

"Right," Venner agreed, nodding slightly.

"Bonnington. . . sidearm," he called out to one of the Marines. Private Bonnington entered and handed over the weapon without comment. Lee took the gun and handed it to Billy, who took it in awkward hands. "Okay, Billy. You ever handled a weapon before?"

"Just a pellet gun from my uncle when I was like, ten," the Presidents aide answered nervously.

"The principles the same. . . the real ones just make a bigger noise," Lee told him, trying to ease the young man's anxiety as much as possible. He pulled out his own sidearm and held it out toward the President. "Madam President."

"Oh, no, thank you. I can't," she responded, holding her hand up to stop him.

Lee sighed and holstered the weapon. He knew better than to waste the time trying to convince her to do anything she was not inclined to do. "Cpl. Venner?"

"Yes, sir?"

"You're in charge of getting her down to sick bay. Take Bonnington as an escort. Remember, just head away from the sound of gunfire."

"All right."

"What about you?" the President asked, her brow furrowing as she looked at him.

"Well, we're headed _toward_ the gunfire." He turned away and addressed the Marines who still guarded the hatch. "Okay. Listen up. There's a small arms locker on causeway Bravo, two decks down. We're gonna go get some explosive rounds and then we're headed toward the magazines. Twinam?"

"Sir?"

"You take point."

"Yes, sir," the Marine answered steadily, moving into position to lead them in the right direction.

"Good luck, Captain. May the lords protect you," the President called as Lee stepped through the hatch.

"And you, too," Lee called back as he followed Twinam, knowing he could do nothing more to keep her safe.

"Clear!" Twinam called, moving forward again.

Lee took a deep breath to steady himself. Like it or not, he was in command and they were all looking to him for their lives. He was more scared than he'd ever been in his thirty years, but they didn't need to know that. "Okay. Lets go. Move!"

It was like a bizarre game of hide and seek. They were hiding, while at the same time trying to find the Cylons that had invaded the Galactica. Lee wanted to engage the Cylons before they did any damage to the ship, but not until his small group properly armed and able to defend themselves. So, Lee was more than a little relieved when they reached the small arms locker without meeting up with the enemy. There were bloodied bodies in almost every corridor, so Lee knew that there were Centurions nearby, but it was a frakking big ship! There were four bodies lying inside the locker, as if they had been caught by surprise.

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot! I'm Jammer!" a man yelled in a panic stricken voice from the rear of the locker.

"Jammer?" Kat repeated, stepping forward and taking a good look at the very young man.

"Yes, sir, it's me. It's me, Jammer. Jammer. Don't shoot! Please. It's Jammer," he babbled, unable to control his words in his terror.

"Collishaw!" Lee called out.

"Sir?"

"Watch the hatch. Kat, Twinam. . . find those explosive rounds."

"Yes, sir."

"What the hell happened here?" Lee asked Jammer, trying to get the scared young man to calm down and talk coherently.

"I don't know, sir. I wasn't here in this fight. I just came in here to hide," he admitted, glancing down at the bodies and then away again. "The Cylons are everywhere! I didn't know what to do!"

"All right, settle down. You're gonna be just fine," Lee said calmly, reaching out to clasp the young mans arm firmly.

"Apollo?" Kat called out from a few steps away. She was holding out a box of explosive rounds, but it was nearly empty.

"You've got to be kidding me? That's it?" he asked in both shock and horror. He had expected the team to be able to rearm sufficiently to deal with the Cylons. But there were only six rounds! Six rounds for five guns. Lee had them each take one and he kept the reload. It wasn't much, but it was better than what they'd had before.

xxxxx

Athena took point on the way back to rejoin the rest of the team. She was beyond pain now, and could feel the hot, sticky blood seeping through the pressure bandage she had applied earlier. She was weak and tired, and was beginning to wonder if she would make it off Kobol alive.

"What do you say we take five," she suggested, stopping and waiting for Galen to catch up with her. She didn't know if a rest would help, but she wasn't sure she could go another step in her current condition. The Chief pulled the rifle strap off his shoulders and collapsed back against a tree, sliding down to the ground almost bonelessly. He looked almost as bad as she did, but Athena thought his pain was more mental, while hers was definitely physical.

"How much further, do you think? she asked tiredly, sinking to the ground beside him. He just sat with his eyes closed, not paying attention to her words. Athena looked at him, and knew he'd better snap out of whatever funk he was in if they were to survive. "Tarn getting shot. . . it wasn't your fault. You know that, right? Chief?"

He just sat against the tree, his eyes now open but staring off into the distance "Don't you give up on us, you son of a bitch!" she yelled, punching him in the shoulder with all of her meager strength. "I have no intention of dying on this frakking planet, and I'm not going to let you die, either!"

He looked at her and rubbed his arm where shed hit him. "Ouch. Do you ever give up, AJ? Haven't you ever just wanted to frakking give up?"

"No! I will never give up until I breathe my last breath!" she snarled at him "I've got something digging inside my gut which hurts like the fires of hell and I may not make it in the end, but I'll never give up! I refuse to die until I see Lee at least once more," she added, bursting into tears. She couldn't remember the last time she'd cried so heavily, but she was powerless to stop the tears and sobs that racked her aching body.

The Chief put his arm around her and pulled her up against his chest. "It's okay. It's all right, AJ. You're going to be okay and you'll see Lee again. I promise you," he whispered into her ear.

"Don't make. . . promises. . . you can't. . . keep," she said between sobs. She fought to get control of herself, knowing that she was foolish to be letting down her guard when there were Cylons so near, but it was easier said than done.

"I never make promises I can't keep," he told her firmly, leaning down and kissing the top of her head. She calmed in his arms, knowing that apart from Lee, he was one of the best friends she'd ever had. He was rock solid, and she was lucky he was on Kobol with her.

Athena pulled away from him reluctantly, not looking forward to being on the move again "We need to go," she sniffed, wiping her face with a dirty, blood-streaked hand. "Socinus needs the medical kit."

"Yeah," he agreed, smiling gently at her.

"Thanks for letting me cry all over you."

"No problem. Tell me truthfully; is your wound bad?" he asked, standing and then carefully pulling her to her feet. He moved her rolled down flight suit aside and lifted her stained tank before frowning down at the blood-soaked bandage. "Frak."

"I'm pretty sure there's a chunk of shrapnel in there, and I can feel it digging around when I move," she admitted, pulling her shirt down and stepping back from Galen. "But I'm still breathing, so thats a plus."

Galen sighed heavily and then picked up the medical kit for her to carry. He repositioned the rifle and looked at her. "I'll take point. You stick close"

"Yes, sir," she agreed. Rest time was over.

They met up with the rest of the team twenty long minutes later, just when Athena was thinking she could go no further. Galen tossed the medical kit to Seelix and gently helped Athena sit back against a tree. After warning her to stay still, he looked up at Crashdown.

"Where's Tarn?" the lieutenant asked uncertainly, as if afraid of the answer he would receive. The Chief pulled out Tarns ID tag and wordlessly tossed them to Crashdown, who caught them and simply stared at the little piece of metal. "What happened?"

"Cylons," Galen answered simply, moving to look at Socinus.

"We're you followed?" Crashdown asked in concern, looking around them nervously.

"No. How's he doing?" the Chief asked Seelix, who was sitting next to Socinus.

"He's not going to make it," she answered, not looking up at him.

"What? What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

"It's too late."

"What do you mean, too late? We got the med kit. You asked for the med kit and we got it. What else do you want? Tarn. . . for what? Come on. . . you gotta do something!" the Chief demanded, looking angrily at Seelix.

She looked up at him sadly. "I can't change that he's gonna die, Chief. It's going to be slow and painful, and we can spare him that. We can spare him that if we give him the morpha from my kit and the one you brought back." She had obviously been thinking about this and, since the others were not surprised at the suggestion, Athena realized that they had all talked about it while she and Galen had been gone.

"What? No! El-tee? El-tee, come on," Galen pleaded.

"He's your man, Chief," Crashdown said simply, making Athena want to get up and deck him. How dare he demand that he was the one in command, and then when it was time for a tough decision back off and act like it wasn't up to him. What little respect Athenad had for Crashdown before was destroyed by those few careless words to Galen.

The Chief just stood and looked at Crashdown, then at Socinus, and then at Seelix, who was filling a syringe from the morpha supply out of both kits. Galen pulled off the rifle and handed it to Athena, before stepping back over and taking the syringe from Seelix's hands. His expression said that life was full of tough choices, and Athena knew he'd never back down from doing what needed to be done. No matter how heartbreaking the choice was. No matter how much it hurt him.

"Hey buddy. . . It's Chief. How you doing?" Galen asked softly, leaning over Socinus with a sad smile plastered on his face.

"What's going on, Chief?" the younger man asked, his breathing raspy and labored.

"Well, you know. . . just listening to the birds," the Chief said with a small but genuine smile. "I. . . uh. . . got a little something for the pain." He took the syringe and injected the injured man in the neck. "Good news, buddy. We got a rescue party here. Raptor just landed. We're gonna put you on it and take you back to the Galactica, okay?"

"We're going home?" Socinus asked weakly, his eyelids drooping as he tried to focus on the Chief's face.

"Yeah. We're going home."

Athena fought to hold back a sob as Socinus took a final breath and died. Seelix and Cally cried openly and Athena had to look away to keep her composure. She'd cried enough for one day, and she didn't have the energy left to expend on emotion. She was just too damned tired. When she looked back, Socinus face was covered by the blanket and Galen was walking over to take back his rifle.

He knelt in front of her and looked intently into her eyes. "You had damn well better not die," he snarled. "I've already lost two too many."

"I'll do my best," she muttered to his back as he walked away to stand guard.

xxxxx

Lee stood impatiently waiting while Jammer reconnected the telephone receiver by the Main Arms Locker on deck twelve. The young man appeared to be relieved to have something to do that didn't involve a gun or running away from Cylons. He handed the receiver to Lee with a proud grin.

"Hey, nice job," Lee complimented him with an answering grin. "You guys check the deck, check the locker. There's gotta be more rounds in here." He held up and spoke into the receiver to identify himself to the CIC. "Combat 12-8642, Arms Locker. Apollo here."

He heard Captain Kelley's voice. "Colonel, its Apollo. Hes on Deck Twelve, Aft Frame 86, between the Cylons and Aft Damage Control."

"Apollo!" Colonel Tigh spoke stridently. "XO, sitrep."

"Five armed effectives. We haven't seen anything but bodies between here and the hanger deck," he reported.

"Any Marines with you?"

"Privates Collishaw and Twinam."

"Take your men and proceed without delay to Aft Damage Control!" the XO ordered.

"Aft Damage Control?" Lee repeated, wanting to be sure he had heard correctly. He had expected to be ordered toward the magazines. However, as much as he disliked the man personally, he knew that the XO had been on two different ships that had been boarded and overtaken by the Cylons. If anyone knew what to expect of this particular enemy, it was Colonel Tigh.

"That's what they're after. Let's not waste any more time talking about it. You go to Aft Damage Control, and get there right frakking now, mister! Get there before the Cylons or we lose the ship. Is that clear?"

"Aft Damage Control," Lee repeated, hearing and understanding the tone in the Colonels voice. There was a threat here that he didn't understand, but that didn't matter in the slightest. What mattered was that Lee was in the right place to do something about that threat, whatever it was. "RFN. On our way. Apollo out."

They arrived at Aft Damage Control before the Cylons and used the time to prepare cover and get ready for the attack that was sure to come.

"Twinam and Jammer, you take this side," he ordered, pointing at the left side of the corridor. "Kat, Collingshaw. . . you take that side. We're gonna need a lot of cover. Let's get this stuff out of our way." They cleared a firing path while at the same time setting up metal bins and boxes for cover.

In the distance Lee could hear the sounds of gunfire and he knew the action was about to begin. Ready or not, the Cylons were coming and they only had six explosive rounds.

"Okay, everybody get down. Stay down," he ordered, looking around to make sure everything was as ready as he could get it. The Marines, Kat and Jammer all took cover and aimed their weapons down the long, empty corridor. "Hold your fire till I give the signal. Remember, you only have one round each, so it's gotta be a head shot to make a kill. You understand? Understand?" he repeated, looking from one person to the next.

"Yes, sir," Kat responded nervously, her eyes showing her fear in the light of her flashlight.

"Kat, kill the flashlight." Lee knelt next to Jammer and patted the young man on the shoulder. "Steady up there, Jammer."

"Yes, sir. Not really cut out for this, sir," he admitted, not ashamed to show his fear.

Lee felt himself grin slightly as the young mans words struck home. This was not what he had trained to do either. It was a hell of a lot easier to shoot Cylons out of the sky than to fight them like this. "Me neither," he admitted to the deck hand. "But sometimes you gotta roll the hard six."

"What does that mean, sir?" Jammer asked, looking up in confusion.

Lee's grin broadened. He had no frakking idea what the words meant. "Uhh. . . I don't know. It's something my dad says. Just. . . don't shoot till I tell you to, all right?" He gave the man another pat on the arm and then rose so he could see the length of the dimly lit corridor. The gunfire was louder now, and Lee knew it was only a matter of moments. "Okay, we're in good shape. They're coming, but we're in good shape."

Lee took several deep breaths and ran his hand through his hair in a nervous gesture. His hair was getting long on the sides and back. He would need a haircut soon if he survived this day. Frak the hair! He needed to get his mind back in the game! He stepped back from Jammer and pulled his sidearm. He patted the extra round tucked near the edge of his pants pocket.

"Head shot. . . reload," he whispered to himself, willing himself to keep steady and get the job done. "Head shot. . . reload. Head shot. . . reload." His chanting was disrupted by the sound of pounding Centurion steps, and gunfire. He held his weapon up in ready position. "Okay. They're coming. Everybody down."

The two Cylons turned the corner in the corridor, finally coming into view. Suddenly, one of them, and then the other, turned to the side and began firing at something Lee could not see. "Fire!" he ordered his team, realizing that the Cylons had somebody pinned down. The Centurions turned and bullets began coming at them like a heavy rain. Collishaw went down to an explosive round and Twinam fell to Cylon fire. Someone fired a lucky shot and one of the Centurions heads seemed to explode off its body. Lee fired and missed the remaining Centurion and reloaded without taking his eyes off the metal monster that was approaching in a run faster than the most fit of men. Jammer was crouching next to Lee and Kat was screaming. Lee held his weapon up as the Centurion leapt at him, flying through the air like some maniacal steel bird. Lee barely had time to aim, fire and duck out of the path of the flying Cylon. It wasn't until the Centurion slid to a stop and didn't rise that Lee realized he had made the necessary head shot.

Lee picked himself up off the floor, his shoulders drooping with fatigue and held his empty sidearm limply at his side. He panted and shook as the adrenaline flowed through his body and then faded, leaving him numb and aching from their ordeal.

"We did it!" Jammer yelled as he stood up beside Lee. "We got them all! They don't look so big now, do they?" he added as he turned to look at the Cylon lying in a heap behind them.

Lee shook his head in amazement at how the young were able to rebound from the worst of situations. Jammer and Kat were jumping and hugging one another.

"They were big enough," he told them dryly.

x

Lee stood beside his father's bed, looking at the craggy face that was way too pale. There was an incision running the length of his father's chest from navel to neck, and a tube had been inserted in his throat to keep his airway clear. A thin white sheet covered him from hip to toe, barely covering his nakedness while leaving his surgical wounds in clear view. President Roslin stood on the other side of the bed, her face sorrowful and weary. The past day had been an ordeal for everyone involved.

"Doc Cottle's on his way. He'll be here any minute," Colonel Tigh informed them as he walked into the room.

Lee nodded, thinking that it couldn't be a minute too soon. His father looked bad. He glanced up to see the President watching him in concern. She, of all people, knew the worry and stress he was working under.

"He's going to be all right. You know that," she told him firmly.

Lee nodded, hoping. . . praying. . . that she was right. "Yeah. Yeah, I know that." He looked up at her for a moment and then went back to looking at his father. Memorizing his face. . . just in case. How he wished things had been better between them. They had been getting along so well, as long as Lee did what his father wanted and expected. It was when he took a chance and did what his own heart and conscience told him that their relationship returned to its prior animosity.

"Colonel," the President said with another look at Lee. "I assume there's still a cell out there waiting for me?"

"That's right," the XO agreed gruffly, shooting her a denigrating look.

The President looked at the Commander one last time and gently laid a hand upon his bare arm. She smiled softly at Lee and then looked at her guard from the brig. "Cpl. Venner, I'm ready."

Tigh walked up to where she had been standing, his eyes watching the old man intently. "I can't believe you sided with that woman against the old man. I wouldn't do that if you put a gun to my head. . . which you did. As far as Im concerned, you're not fit to wear a uniform."

Lee nodded in agreement at the words. He wasn't sure he was fit to wear a Colonial uniform any longer. If the uniform meant they had the right to force their will upon the civilian populace. If the uniform meant they could arrest people at their will without due process. If the uniform meant that all opinions other than the military one were invalid and unimportant. Lee looked up at the Colonel, realizing a few other truths, as well.

"You're right about that part. I am not fit to wear the uniform. And maybe I never was. Then again, neither were you." The XO looked up at him, his eyes showing more than a hint of revulsion at his true nature being openly acknowledged by someone else. "But this isn't my ship, and it sure as hell isn't yours. It's his," Lee added, looking down at his father. The man he both admired and sometimes detested, all at the same time. "And when he wakes up, he'll decide what to do with both of us."

The Colonel's eyes followed Lee with what almost looked like grudging respect. Lee leaned down and kissed his father's forehead, mentally willing the stubborn old man to wake up and get better. Get better to fight another day. Get better so they would have a chance to turn their relationship into one between two men rather than that of father and son. Get better to see and help raise his grandchildren. Lee stroked his father's hair and realized hed spent too long in the medical unit when there were things that needed doing.

If he wanted his father to someday see and bounce his grandchildren on his knee, Lee would have to get going on rescuing the woman who he hoped would someday bear his children. He walked away from the sick bay without a backward glance. It was time to go to Kobol and bring his woman home!


	16. Chapter 16

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in posting! School started again, which means my lazy summer is over and I head for work early each day and get back home late for a couple weeks. I'll try to do better for the final chapters of the story.

Chapter Sixteen

The Military Way

DAY 51

Galen went back and got Tarn's body, despite Athena's best efforts to talk him out of it. While he was gone-having insisted on going alone-Doctor Baltar and Crashdown dug two graves. Seelix changed the pressure bandage on her side and warned her to stay as still as possible. The bleeding was not heavy now that she was sitting, but Seelix was afraid that the shrapnel was still on the move and doing the gods knew what damage inside her gut. Athena found herself unable to keep from dozing off with Cally next to her, Athena's sidearm cradled in the young mechanic's lap as she kept watch.

When Galen returned they buried Tarn and Socinus, Crashdown speaking his version of the traditional funeral words. Then they packed to move on, Crashdown having decided that they had stayed in the same place too long. Athena holstered her weapon, carried one of the medical kits, and followed the person in front of her. How long they walked, she had no idea. All she knew was that she somehow managed to put one foot in front of the other and keep going until someone told her to sit and rest.

Galen helped her to the ground and then knelt beside her, using the cover of the forest to shelter him as he scanned outside the tree line with a pair of binoculars. "Uh, oh," she heard him mutter quietly. "Wait a minute. Check out the tree line at two oclock."

Crashdown pulled out his binoculars and scanned the area the Chief had pointed out. "Got them. What,re they doing?"

"Looks like they,re dismantling a Raider," the Chief mused, frowning deeply as he contemplated what he was watching. He continued to watch intently as the rest of the group rested.

"Why? Why not use it to fly the hell out of here?" Crashdown asked with a matching frown.

"I don,t know. I can't tell. . ." the Chief hesitated, leaning forward slightly as if it would help him see better through the binoculars. "They,re dragging it into the tree line. Oh, wait a minute. They,re building something. Frak!"

"Chief, is that a-"

"A missile," the Chief stated grimly, finishing Crashdown's sentence. "They're building a missile battery."

"Well, at least we know why they didn't follow you or chase us."

"Why?" Doctor Baltar asked suddenly, his expression both perplexed and alarmed. He looked from Galen to Crashdown. "Why aren't they chasing us?"

Galen looked at Athena and then over at the doctor, sighing tiredly. "Because they don't have to. They can just sit back, launch a missile barrage that'll wipe out every living thing in this valley."

Athena closed her eyes and rested, suddenly realizing she was going to need all her strength in the hours to come. If they were to survive, they couldn't just sit back and wait for the Cylons to act. They would have to act first. And in the meantime, she was going to do some serious praying that Lee and a rescue team were on the way to get them.

She was tired and wanted to go home.

xxxxx

Lee looked up from the planning session when Colonel Tigh walked into the CIC and glared at him with unmistakable hatred in his bloodshot eyes.

"What the hell's all this?" the XO snapped as he marched over to where Lee had been working with the others. "Why aren't you in the brig?"

"I'm on duty, sir," Lee answered calmly, realizing that the XO was well on his way to being drunk. Just what they needed, he thought in disgust. "Planning the search and rescue mission."

"Search and Rescue? For who? We lose a plane and nobody tells me?" he roared, looking around at the crew on duty in the CIC. Everyone was looking away from him, trying to appear unusually busy at their stations. No one wanted to interact with the XO when he was like this.

"For our Raptor crew down on the surface of Kobol, sir," Lee explained evenly, not surprised to see the XO acting like a total ass. When the pressure was on, the man hit the bottle and the pressure was building every minute the Commander was unconscious in sickbay.

"Simes is senior pilot now. He can plan the SAR," the Colonel ordered, his brow furrowing in thought.

"You asked me to command the Air Group when I'm on duty, and I'm on duty," Lee responded in his most patient tone, tired of having to deal with the unstable XO, but realizing he had no choice if he was going to get Athena back. He had things to do so they could get down to the planet before another day passed, and the Colonel was interfering. "So am I in command, or not?"

The Colonel walked over to Lee, his anger and frustration twisting his face. Some sense of self-preservation must have kicked in through his drunkenness, because he suddenly backed down from his argument. "What's the status of the SAR, Captain?"

"Well, we don't know in what area Raptor One went down. So the only realistic chance we have of finding her is the hope that her transponder or disaster beacon is still functioning. I intend to take two Raptors, one with medical personnel, and make five low level orbits of the planet," he explained carefully, trying to make sure the XO understood. It would be easier for Lee to get the job done if the XO bought into the plan and stopped interfering.

"What about the Cylon BaseStar that Lt. Valerii supposedly destroyed? What if she was lying?"

Lee nodded. It was the first logical question that Tigh had come up with. "Racetrack confirmed the destruction of the BaseStar and I, personally, checked the gun-camera footage from the Raptor, which verifies it." He stared at the Colonel, waiting for more questions or permission to get on with it.

"Lt. Gaeta," Colonel Tigh snarled, turning his bad temper on they young officer. "Why are you hovering about?"

"Uh. . . its the press," the lieutenant hesitantly told him. Lee was observing the crew in the CIC and noted that everyone was on tenderhooks, as if they were unsure how to deal with the XO when he was in this foul a mood and condition. Lt. Kelley was trying to keep the hanger and docking bays functioning in the Chief's absence, leaving the rest of the ship to Tigh's tender mercies. Lee felt a degree of pity for what was an exceptional crew, but didn't have time to deal with what was basically a non-essential issue.

"The press?"

"They're demanding to know how much longer we plan on holding them and when they can contact their home ships."

"They demand," Colonel Tigh repeated, his face growing almost purple with anger. "They're in no position to _demand_ anything. You tell them to shut their yaps. We'll get to them in due time."

"Excuse me, Colonel," D inserted, taking a step toward the XO. "Shuttle from the Zephyr has just requested permission to enter the landing pattern."

"The Zephyr?"

"Yes, sir. Apparently the Quorum of Twelve is aboard. They are demanding to see you."

"They demand?" Colonel Tigh repeated yet again, his jaw clenching at the words he found so offensive.

"Demanding job, commanding a battlestar," Lee commented lightly, looking up at the Colonel with his most innocent expression firmly tacked onto his face. It amazed him that the man had held up as long as he had, but it would be truly amazing if he lasted another day.

The Colonel glared at him, no doubt suspecting that he'd been insulted, but too drunk to figure it out. Lee simply watched the XO, deliberately keeping his expression benign.

"Clear them to land. Put them in the Ward Room and hold them there until I have time to see them!" Tigh ordered before turning and walking out of the room. Probably to get a drink, Lee thought with a disgusted shake of his head.

"Let's get back to work," he said to his planning team. "I want our people home before another day passes."

xxxxx

The crickets were chirping. Athena listened, amazed at the comfort that could be had from something so simple. It made her think of home. Home before the Cylon attack. Looking up into the canopy of trees she realized that sunshine and fresh air were a few of the things she had missed in the past seven weeks. Between her schooling and her most recent detail, she had been based on Caprica for much of the past seven years. And Caprica had been beautiful.

She wondered if someday they would actually make it to Earth. She wanted that. She wanted a place where she and Lee could settle down, raise children, and someday grow old together. Of course, they could do all of those things on a battlestar, if necessary, but that wouldn't be her first choice. Children deserved a safe, happy place where they could run and play and be free. Free from the fear of running out of the basic necessities of life. And free from the fear of death by Cylon hands.

"Oh, Lee," she murmured under her breath. "I'm trying to be strong and not give up, but it's hard. Please come for me."

"What did you say?" Galen asked, leaning down and looking at her with a tiny smile. He was doing his best to keep her positive and hopeful. . . and alive.

"Nothing important," she told him with an answering smile of her own. "How do things look out there?"

Hi sighed and put the binoculars back to his eyes. "I count six missiles being carried into the forest site so far. Wait a minute. Wait a minute! El-tee, check this out."

"What do you got, Chief?" Crashdown asked pulling out his glasses and looking at the Cylon encampment.

"Move 45 degrees east of the launcher. You see that tree stump?"

"What the hell is that?" Crashdown asked in confusion, straining to figure out what was before his eyes.

"It looks like a dradis dish, or at least the Cylon version of one," Galen said thoughtfully. Then his expression seemed to sag as understanding hit him. "It's probably salvaged from the nose cone of a ship. They're building an anti-aircraft battery."

Cally was now kneeling and looking through her own pair of binoculars. "Anti-aircraft? For what? There's no other aircraft around here."

"The Galactica's gonna send a search and rescue team," Galen said with a heavy sigh. "When they do, that's at least two Raptors doing a low pass over the crash site. When those Raptors come looking for us, risking their lives to rescue us. . ."

"The Cylons will shoot them down," Crashdown ended, siting back on his heels thoughtfully. "Frak."

An hour later they were making plans to do what they could to keep the Cylons from shooting down the rescue aircraft. Doctor Baltar had gone and surveilled the dradis dish and had discovered another two Cylon Centurions at that location. Along with the three at the missile site, that made a total of five Centurions. Crashdown was jotting down notes furiously, and then gathered them all together.

When Crashdown suggested that they take the initiative and attack the Cylons, Athena wasn't sure who was most surprised. Out of the six people left on their team, only she, the Chief and Crashdown had any training further than Basic. Athena had some ground assault, but not enough that she felt comfortable with the idea of initiating battle. . . especially in her current condition. On the other hand, if they did nothing there was a better than average chance that Lee and the others would be shot down by the waiting Cylons. So how could they do nothing? She agreed with Crashdown on that front, but she wasn't sure an all out attack was the way to go.

The Chief asked Crashdown for a private word, and the rest of them looked at each other with obvious doubts and dread.

"He's crazy!" the doctor stated vehemently, his eyes flashing wildly from person to person. "I'm not trained for this kind of thing. I've never fired a gun in my life!"

Seelix shook her head. "I haven't fired one since Basic."

"You?" the doctor asked Cally.

"I just joined up to pay for dental school," she admitted with a shrug.

"That makes half of us with little to no training," Athena summarized with a shake of her head. That did not bode well for any offensive plan. Their lack of weapons was also a solid tick against them.

"And no offense, but you're injured and won't be of much use," the doctor stated, looking at her again blood-soaked bandage. It was pretty obvious to them all that her injuries were on the serious side and would hold her back from anything of a physical nature.

"As long as I have a weapon, I can do the job. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure Lee and the others don't lose their lives trying to save ours," Athena stated firmly, looking each of them in the eye. What she lacked in physical strength she more than made up in determination. "The key is to come up with a plan that uses stealth and surprise, not might."

"That's enough!" Crashdown shouted at the Chief, drawing everyones attention to the two men. The Chief stared at the lieutenant for a long minute and then moved away to stand guard once more. He stared angrily as Crashdown walked back over to the rest of them.

Crashdown gave a briefing that was well over the heads of deck technicians, and left them more confused than informed. The gist of the plan was to destroy the anti-aircraft unit before it could be used to shoot down any of the SAR Raptors. The problem was that he had based his plan on the non-combatants taking active roles in the attack, which they were not only untrained to do, but were far from mentally prepared to successfully fight Cylons.

"Oh, come on!" the doctor interrupted, his voice scathing. "This is absurd. What, we're taking on the Cylon Army, are we? Us? Look at us? What. . . with two rifles and a canteen? Have you lost your mind?"

"That's enough, doctor," Crashdown reprimanded him with a frown.

"Is it? Look, no disrespect, but why are we always going uphill? Does anyone else think that his plan is frakking nuts? I'll tell you whats fair... This is fair. We'll have a show of hands."

Before Athena could speak up in protest, Galen was on his feet, his expression livid. "No! Absolutely not!" The doctor was placing Cally and Seelix in a position where no matter what they chose, they lost. If they agreed with Crashdown's plan, they were probably going to their deaths. If they chose sides with Baltar and survived, they would no doubt be court martialed for disobeying a commanding officer.

Baltar continued. "Now everybody who thinks this is unfair. . ."

"No!" the Chief roared furiously. "This is not a democracy! The El-tee's in charge! No ifs, no ands, no buts. He says we go. . . we go. There's no questioning."

"We've already lost two men, Chief! How many more people are we gonna lose?" Baltar protested, facing the Chief as he spoke. Perhaps knowing that there was no point in putting the question to Crashdown, who was trying to distance himself from the argument. Letting the Chief fight what should have been his battle.

"You need to sit down and shut up right now," the Chief stated softly, his voice deadly in its very calmness.

"Nobody tells me to shut up! I am the Vice President. . ."

Galen moved so that his face was but inches from the Vice Presidents. For every step he took forward, the doctor backed away. "You need to sit down and shut up, _right now_." The doctor sat, knowing that the man before him was capable of doing whatever it took to silence him. The Chief turned and faced Crashdown. "Your briefing, El-tee."

"Thank you, Chief," the lieutenant said softly, his expression giving away his fear of what was happening within their group. Galen may have defended his position, but it was plain to see that even the Chief wasn't truly in agreement with the decision to attack the battery.

Crashdown laid out the plan and Athena realized that it would have been a good plan if all six of them were assault trained, uninjured, and fully armed. As it was, Cally was assigned the task of causing a diversion, which stood a good chance of getting her killed. Crashdown and Seelix were tasked to flank on the opposite side, and Athena and the Chief were instructed to remain where they were and provide cover fire for both flanks. It wasn't a good plan, but it was all Crashdown had to offer.

They were given ten minutes to prepare themselves for the assault, so Athena checked her sidearm and got into position. She would do her part alongside Galen, and pray that the two of them were good enough to keep the rest of the group alive.

xxxxx

Lee was dressed in the standard Marine attire of black shirt and khaki green overshirt, minus the bulletproof vest. The vest was less than worthless when it came to the armor piercing rounds fired by the Cylons, and it also cut down on the wearer's mobility. He breathed in deeply as he piloted one of the Raptors, praying that Athena was still alive. He couldnt bear the thought of living without her by his side.

The two Raptors jumped into the space around Kobol, and he was more than pleased to find that the space was Cylon free. Apparently, with the BaseStar destroyed, the rest of the raiders had jumped to the location of another BaseStar to support them. They began a shallow orbit of the planet and were fortunate to get an almost immediate hit from a colonial transponder signal. He gave the order to go in and as the Raptor hit the atmosphere the team in the ship had to hang on to the sides of the seats. It was a hell of a lot rougher going in the less aerodynamic Raptor than in a Viper.

xxxxx

Just before they were to move out, the Chief discovered five Cylons at the missile launcher site, which could potentially mean there were now seven Centurions. The doctor went into a panic, telling them all that there had to be something wrong with the plan. As Crashdown tried to calm everyone down, Galen paced back and forth, biting his lip in thought. Athena knew that something serious was going on inside of her friend, and she hoped he had an idea that would help them out of this mess.

"Maybe there are only five Cylons," Galen blurted suddenly, stopping to stand in front of Crashdown. "They just changed their deployment. They brought the two that were guarding the dish down here, so now the dish is unprotected!"

"Gods, Chief! That dish is, like, almost a klick away," Crashdown informed him with a shake of his head.

"So what? It's unprotected. We can go take it out without taking on the whole Cylon Army!" the Chief argued excitedly.

Athena jumped as a loud rumbling came from the sky above them. She knew it was the sound that was made by aircraft entering the atmosphere. Lee and the team were here. They had to do something or the Raptors would be shot out of the sky.

"What was that?" Baltar asked with more than a little panic tingeing his voice.

"A sonic boom," Athena informed him, sighing heavily as she shifted to her knees in preparation to get up on her feet. For the first time she found herself praying that Lee was _not_ on one of the SAR Raptors. "Spacecraft entering the upper atmosphere cause the noise you just heard. Just like we heard earlier when we were in the valley."

"It's the SAR mission," Crashdown informed them in agitation. "They're here. They're right up there, Chief. We got to go. There's no time for further discussion. All right, everyone up. Move out and get into your positions. We're taking out those toasters before they kill any more of our people."

Athena looked at the Chief and crawled over to his position. He sighed heavily, and knelt down beside her. "This is so frakked up," he muttered for her ears only.

Cally sat on her heels, rocking back and forth, her breaths coming out in great big pants.

"Cally, I said move!" Crashdown hissed at her.

"I can't!" she cried, still panting and rocking in obvious terror. Athena could see that the young woman was literally too afraid to move.

"What? That's an order!"

"She doesn't have to do this!" Athena inserted, rising carefully to her feet and turning to look at Crashdown. "The Chief and I can just go out and take out the dish! The SAR will be safe from the missiles and well have help to mop up the rest of the Cylons!"

"We still have time to get it done!" Galen added, backing up Athena's plan. He rose to his knees beside her, looking hopefully over at Crashdown.

"Shut up a second," Crashdown hissed at them, turning back to stand over Cally. "Cally! Cally! Specialist, you have your orders. I need you to go up there and create a distraction. Now! Move, move!" he shouted at her.

"El-tee!" Galen said in a tone that was as close to begging as Athena had ever heard from him.

Seelix spoke up for the first time. "There were supposed to be three Cylons and now there are five. How are we supposed to take on five Cylons?"

Crashdown was clearly losing control now. "Frak orders! Frak court martial! Our people are up there and we have to save them. We don't have any time. Move it, Specialist!"

"I can't do it!" Cally cried, tears streaming down her face as she knelt on the ground.

"Cally, move!"

"No!"

Crashdown pulled out his sidearm and held it to Cally's head. Athena gasped and found herself holding her breath in shock.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey!" the Chief inserted, scrambling over to where Crashdown knelt with his weapon in his hand. "Put it down!"

"You are going out there, Cally," Crashdown said harshly, his tone resigned. "You're going out there or I'm going to blow your brains out myself! Right here. Right now."

"Put it down!" the Chief yelled, his expression showing his disbelief in what was happening and his horror at his inability to stop it. "Hey, El-tee, easy. Take it easy!"

"I'm gonna count to three."

"This is crazy!" Seelix cried, on her hands and knees as she watched the drama unfolding before her eyes.

"One!"

The Chief pulled his weapon and pointed it at Crashdown. "Put it down. Right now!"

"Oh my gods," Seelix moaned, scrambling away from the group and out of the lines of fire.

"Two."

Cally was sobbing and Athena found herself with her weapon in her hand, also pointing at the out of control lieutenant. There was no way she could just stand by and let him kill Cally. No frakking way! He'd lost his mind!

"Three."

A shot rang out and Athena jumped, her eyes moving to the one person she had not been watching. Doctor Baltar had a sidearm in his hand, his eyes horrified as he watched Crashdown fall to the ground. He stared in shock at the man he had just killed.

"Oh, frak this!" Athena hissed, turning back to look at the Cylon force. "Come on, Galen! Let's get the damn dish before our Raptors get shot out of the sky!" She took off in a dead run for the dradis dish that would target the SAR ships.

"Fall back! Fall back!" the Chief ordered to the others as he turned to follow Athena. "Go, go, go! Get them moving, doc!"

Athena grabbed her side as she ran, hearing Galen's feet pounding behind her. The pain inside her body was no longer important. The blood gushing out of her wound was no longer important. Her sole reason for being was to get to that dish and make those missiles ineffective. She didn't care if she died in the process. Lee was going to survive this, even if she didnt!

"Oh frak!" Athena yelled as gunfire opened up and the ground began to jump around them. She heard one of the women cry out from behind her, but she never faltered, hoping that one of the others was there to help.

Galen cried out as he took a bullet from behind and fell to the ground, the rocket launcher flying from his hands. Athena could just see the dradis dish when she was hit from behind in almost the same spot as the piece of shrapnel. "Gods!" she screamed in pain and frustration, now crawling on her hands and knees. She pulled out her sidearm and checked to be sure she had an explosive round chambered. Galen had lost the rocket launcher, but she thought a well-placed explosive round might destroy the dish.

"Doc, throw me the launcher! Doc, come on!" she heard Galen yelling from behind her as another bullet struck her through her left buttock. She was completely beyond pain as she continued crawling until she was in position and took aim. The dradis dish revolved and Athena looked up through a gap in the trees to see a Raptor flying above them. Galen knelt beside her, launcher once again in his hands, and they both fired at the same time. The dish exploded into pieces and Athena felt a rush of joy. Lee would be safe from the missiles!

She rolled over and began firing at the approaching Centurions, seeing the doctor and the two women nearby in the cover of some trees. "Frak!" she yelled as her sidearm went dry. Galen tose to his knees and moved in front of her, shielding her with his body. "Don't be a hero, you idiot!" she shouted through the tears she hadn't known she was shedding.

Bullets were raining all around them and then suddenly, the approaching Centurions seemed to catch on fire and explode. Athena and Galen looked at each other in confusion and then Galen looked up. Athena followed his eyes and saw a Raptor hovering among the trees, a contrail showing where it had fired a missile at the approaching Cylons. Galen fell to the ground next to her.

"I think I'm almost as frakked up as you are," he groaned, moving his head so that it touched her shoulder.

"I don't know about that," she murmured, her vision growing fuzzy and indistinct. "Too much. . . bleeding. Hope Lee. . . hurries." Athena gave into the pain at last and sighed as her world went dark.

xxxxx

Lee almost ran out of the Raptor as soon as the hatch opened. He had seen Athena on the ground with Chief Tyrol, and she hadn't looked good. He leapt over brush and made his way up the hill to where she lay unconscious, her body seeming to be covered with blood.

"Medic!" he yelled, ripping open her shirts and examining her wound, not caring that he had exposed her breasts to anyone who cared to look. A bandaged wound on her side was flowing heavily and he put pressure there with one hand while he looked for other injuries. He put pressure on a second bullet wound and found himself flashing back to when, only hours before, he had done the same thing with his father.

"Don't you die on me, Athena!" he ordered her harshly, feeling tears begin to slide down his face. "I love you, woman! And gods know, I need you. Please don't die!"

One of the medics arrived and slapped on emergency dressings and then set up an IV with whole blood to replace the masses that she appeared to have lost. "We need to hurry," the medic told him, waving to a Marine who was carrying a stretcher. "Thank the gods the doctor is on Galactica."

For the second time that day, Lee found himself following along after someone he loved with their blood coating his hands and arms. The medics carried Athena to the Raptor, along with Tyrol and Seelix, and Lee knelt next to Athena during the short flight. . . her hand limply in his as he prayed for all he was worth. A second medical team met them at the hanger bay and Lee found himself running along side the gurney as they hurried to the medical unit.

"Wait outside," Doc Cottle ordered him gruffly as he gloved up to take care of Athena.

"Frak that! The only way I'm leaving her side is if the Marines pull me away!" Lee snarled, never taking his eyes off of Athena's pale face.

"Call the Marines if this man refuses to leave," the doctor ordered one of the technicians. "You get in my way and she dies, Captain. I'm not losing another patient today, so get out of my frakking way!"

Lee stepped back and watched helplessly as a surgical technician pulled a plastic curtain around them, effectively blocking Lee from seeing more than indistinct shapes and blurry images of moving people. He took a deep shuddering breath and found a sink to wash up in. He watched as Athena's blood mixed with the water and spiraled down the drain. Not knowing what else to do, he wandered over to where his father lay still unconscious, and pulled up a chair.

"Things are really frakked up, dad," he said softly to the sleeping man. "Here you are, and there Athena is in the other room. I don't want to lose either of you. I love her, dad. I never knew it was possible to love someone the way I do her. She. . . makes me complete. My life would be nothing without her."

"I love you, too, dad. I know I've disappointed you and let you down, but I've never stopped loving you. You're a stubborn, unyielding man and you make it damn hard. . . but I love you anyway. But see, you have to understand that I am more than your son. I'm a man, too, with thoughts and ideas and. . . ideals of my own. I believe in democracy. I believe that people have the right to choose, even if they end up making poor choices. And I believe in President Roslin. I think there is more going on here than logic and science can explain, and I believe well regret it if we don't see where this particular path will take us. I know you think differently, but that's okay. I just want you to understand that I have to follow my own path, whether or not you understand it or agree with it."

"That's what's so great about Athena. She really knows me. . . inside and out. I plan to marry her, dad. I was planning on waiting until things were more settled, but now. . . I dont want to wait. She'll do the Adama name proud," he added with a sigh. Now he could only pray she lived long enough to make an honest man out of him.

As he waited he heard the rest of the survey team arrive, wanting to know how AJ was doing. Lee took a deep breath and walked out to meet them. In the aftermath of the attack, he had not done a proper job in debriefing the team and discovering what had happened. Tyrol and Seelix had been treated on the Raptor, both of them with wounds from bullets that had gone all the way through, so no surgery would be required unless infection set in.

He found chairs along one side of the room and let the four remaining members of the team tell their story from beginning to end without interrupting. The only thing not included in the telling was about Crashdown, and how he died.

Tyrol held out the four sets of ID tags and Lee took them. A Marine, two good technicians and an ECO lost. When would it frakking end?

"How did Crashdown die?" Lee asked, still looking at the dogtags in his hand.

Doctor Baltar spoke up for the first time during the debriefing, his eyes fixed intently upon the Chief. "He died leading the charge. He gave his life in the finest tradition of the service."

Lee looked at the Vice President, realizing that something had happened that nobody was willing to talk about. Something was not right with the story, despite what the team had said. He turned his questioning gaze to the Chief.

"Yeah," Tyrol added, looking at Cally and Seelix. "He was a hero to the end."

DAY 52

Lee waited alone for almost two hours after the survey team had gone. Tyrol had wanted to stay, but Lee had insisted that the Chief go and get some rest. The hanger deck was a mess from the boarding of the Cylons and the man would have his work cut out for him.

It was late at night, or actually very early in the morning, and to be honest, Lee was glad for the time alone with his thoughts. He was rarely alone since his arrest. In the brig he was with the President and quite often, Billy. On duty he was surrounded by pilots or CIC crewmembers. And he also had, undoubtedly thanks to Colonel Tigh, a couple Marines who followed behind him wherever he went. The Marines were the least of his worries, because they always kept their distance and were careful not to intrude in whatever work he was trying to get done. He got the distinct feeling that they respected him, despite his arrest. In fact, his Marine guard was at that moment sitting about as far away as they could get, next to the exterior door of the Medical Unit.

The doctor ambled out of the operating room and Lee leapt to his feet. It had been several hours, and he had been more worried with each passing minute.

"How is she, Doc?" Lee asked, his eyes scanning the doctors tired face.

"She'll live."

"What's her condition?"

"She got shot to shit, that's her condition," the older man said grumpily as he lit a cigarette.

"Come on, Doc!" Lee begged, needing to know that she would recover fully. "You were in surgery a long time. What are her injuries?"

"That, Captain, is not your business. Suffice to say that she will have at last a four to six week recovery period, but should be able to fly again once she has a clean bill of health."

"What aren't you telling me?" Lee asked, beginning to grow angry at the run-around he was getting. After this past week his temper was hair-trigger fine, and he bit his frustration back with effort.

"Are you a blood relative of the woman? Are you her husband?"

"Umm. . . no," Lee answered slowly, his brow furrowing as he took in the doctors questions. So the doctor was hesitating because of confidentiality issues. Okay. He could deal with that.

"Then I have no obligation to inform you about the particulars of her injuries."

"Oh, for the gods sake! Athena and I live together!" he snapped at the gray-haired man. "We've been lovers since just after the Cylon attack! I love her and I frakking well want to know what's going on with her!"

"I see." The doctor looked at Lee thoughtfully and then let out a heavy sigh. "She received a substantial blow to the head and undoubtedly has a concussion, though the worst of that is over. She obtained a bullet wound to her left buttock, but the bullet went in and out and was repaired with a goodly number of my finest stitches. A second bullet entered her abdomen from the rear, damaging her liver, which I was also able to repair. The worst injury was from a piece of shrapnel that entered her left side and worked its way inward, damaging everything it touched. I was able to repair all her internal organs and I expect everything to function properly once she is through the healing process."

The man looked at Lee in silence, as though contemplating what to say next. He lowered his voice. "I'm sorry to tell you, Captain, that the shrapnel injury also caused her to lose the baby she was carrying."

Lee looked at the doctor in complete, jaw-dropping shock, not having expected to hear those particular words in relation to Athena. Oh, my gods! "A baby? Athena was pregnant?"

"From the development of the fetus I would say that she was approximately seven weeks along. I gather you did not know?"

"Gods. No. No, I didn't have any idea," Lee murmured, trying to wrap his brain around the idea that Athena had been carrying his child. He staggered back and leaned against the nearby wall as his legs began to tremble. "I don't think she realized it, either. I can't imagine her agreeing to go on a mission if she'd known. Besides, she would have told me. Oh, gods."

The doctor sighed heavily and then finished off his cigarette. "There is no reason to believe that Lt. Darr will not be able to conceive and carry other children once she has fully recovered. The injury to her uterus was repairable, but the fetus was killed by the piece of shrapnel."

"Doc. . ." Lee said, hesitating as he thought about what he planned to say next. What was the best thing to do? "Is there any reason you need to tell Ath-AJ-about this?"

The doctor's face clouded up, telling Lee his feelings on the subject long before the words were spoken. "She has a right to know. It is her body were talking about. Her baby. I have no right to keep that information from her. And you have no frakking right to ask!"

"Look, Doc, she's been through a hell of a time. I just want to wait until she's better and then tell her myself. I mean, come on. . . this is something private between her and I. Please let me deal with it in the manner I think best for both of us," Lee asked sincerely, truly believing that Athena should hear the news from him, not the doctor.

"Dont make me regret this, Captain Adama."

"I won't. But I have one more favor to ask."

"Here goes," the doctor drawled, lighting up yet another cigarette and staring angrily at Lee.

"Please leave that one part out of your report. If it were going to the Commander, it wouldnt be a problem, but since the report will be going to Colonel Tigh. . ."

"Hmph," the doctor uttered with a contemplative look. Obviously knowing that Colonel Tigh-especially in his current condition-would not handle such a report tactfully. "I see your point. All right. No mention in the report but you _will_ report orally to the Commander when he is back in control of the ship," he demanded gruffly.

Lee sighed in dread at the thought of having that conversation with his father, but nodded his head in agreement. He would do whatever it took to spare Athena any more pain. "Can I see her?"

"We'll be monitoring her in the surgical area for the next seven or eight hours, until we know we got all the bleeding taken care of and are sure she's stable. You can stay in there with her as long as you are quiet and don't get in the way," he ordered severely. "Don't make me regret my lapse into generosity."

"No, sir. I won't," Lee agreed, amazed that he had won so many concessions from the grumpy old man. The doctor was not known for having a conciliatory manner. Lee picked up a chair and sat it next to Athena's bed. He sat down and took her hand in his, being careful not to disturb the IVs that were attached to her arm.

"I love you Athena," he whispered, gently leaning down to kiss the back of her hand. "I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner on Kobol. I'm so sorry." He lay his head down on the bed next to her shoulder, and felt exhaustion settle into his very bones. It had been well over two days since he had slept, and he was done in. There was no way he was going back to the brig voluntarily at that particular moment. If the Colonel wanted him there then he would have to personally come and get him.

Lee was staying right where he was, with the woman he loved.


	17. Chapter 17

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Chapter Seventeen

Revelations

DAY 52

Lee slept at Athena's beside until late in the night, when his Marine guard discretely awoke him about fifteen minutes before the evening briefing. Uncaring of his audience, and knowing his Marines were probably the most discrete people in the entire ship, Lee kissed Athena lightly on the forehead.

"I love you," he whispered next to her ear, pulling her blanket up to make sure she was fully covered. He turned to the Marine guard, nodded his thanks at them, and headed for the Ready Room. The squadron was up to a total of twenty-six pilots, counting the nuggets that had been worked into the schedule during the past week. They had lost Flyboy during the Cylon boarding, but the rest of the pilots were ready to do what had to be done. Lee verbally gave them the schedule for the next week, as well as making sure they knew it was written on the CAP board. With a bunch of rookies and nuggets making up the bulk of the squadron, it was best to cover things a couple times to be sure it was completely understood.

"And I got a note from combat," he continued smoothly, shaking his head at what he had read. Here they were, stocked with enough tylium to last for years and they still couldn't get it where it was needed the most in a quick and efficient manner. ". . . warning about problems with tylium re-supply. So watch your fuel burn until further notice. Questions?"

"Yeah, when are you coming back to the card game?" Palladino asked with a grin. He was a rookie with just over a years experience, thus one of the most seasoned of the squadron. He was also an avid card player and spent most of his free time with a deck in his hands.

"I'm afraid when I'm off duty I'll be enjoying the intimate surroundings of the brig until well, until further notice," Lee admitted, knowing that his status was common knowledge. There were few secrets on a battlestar, and what he had done was far from secret. However, it did appear that his group of pilots weren't overly concerned with Lee's crimes. Odds were, most of the crew had wanted to put a gun to Tigh's head at one point or another, Lee thought with a small grin.

Hotdog shook his head. "Come on back. We miss you, Captain."

"We could bring the game to you," Palladino offered, looking around at his buddies who were nodding their agreement.

Lee chuckled at the thought of Tigh's reaction to _that_. "Somehow I doubt Colonel Tigh would approve."

The pilots began coming up with even more bizarre ideas and things were rapidly spiraling out of hand. "Hey! All right," he sighed, holding up his hands to get their attention. "Hey! Knock it off!" he finally shouted, relieved to get them back under control. Getting out of the brig anytime soon was not going to happen. Besides, he didn't have the heart to tell them that even if he was out and actually had spare time, it would be spent at Athena's bedside.

Lee dismissed the cheerfully grumbling group and left them to their chatter, heading for the brig. He was tired and hitting the rack actually sounded good, even if it was in a cell. His Marines followed behind and looked on appreciatively as D fell into step with them. She greeted them in such a manner that they were happy just to follow behind, their eyes on D while she walked.

"How's my father today" he asked, realizing that he hadn't even made it the few steps from Athena since she'd left surgery to check on the old man.

"Commander Adama's the same, Captain," she informed him, obviously not knowing he'd been in the medical unit. "He's sedated. Resting comfortably since the surgery. Trouble brewing in the fleet, though," she added softly, ensuring the Marine guard would not hear her.

"Oh? I'm shocked," Lee responded with unabashed sarcasm. However, he found he had to ask. D wouldn't have brought it up if it weren't something of a serious nature. "What kind of trouble?"

"Martial law isn't going down too well. Protests, demonstrations. Some ships are even refusing to re-supply Galactica."

"And this is the honeymoon period," he stated with a shake of his head. He was sure Colonel Tigh had no idea how much the President did to smooth the way for Galactica on a day-to-day basis. "What's a dictator to do?"

D chuckled, though her amusement didn't quite reach her eyes. She glanced discretely at the Marines and then back at him again. "Yeah, I wish I wish you were in command, sir."

"D. . ." Lee was taken completely by surprise at her words. Even if Colonel Tigh was out of the mix, the next in line to command would probably by Captain Kelley from the CIC. Especially given Lee's checkered reputation since his arrival upon the Galactica.

"He's hitting the bottle. A lot."

Lee stopped in front of the hatch that led to his new quarters in the brig. "Thank you for the company, Petty Officer Duala." He gave her his most professional and respectful salute. She'd given him a lot to think about.

xxxxx

Athena woke slowly, her head fuzzy and her hearing muffled. As things began to clear she realized she was in the Galactica's Medical Unit. Well, that was no more than she'd expected. She knew her injuries were going to take a bit of patching by the doctor, but she hadn't expected her side to burn like it was on fire. Or her butt! That frakking Cylon bullet had to hit her in the ass. She would never live that one down in the Ready Room.

After her vision was sufficiently cleared, she looked around. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the profile of Commander Adama in the bed next to hers. She propped herself up on her elbows and observed that he was naked and uncovered from the waist up and she could see a twelve to fourteen inch incision from the top of his chest extending to just above his navel. He was attached to a variety of monitors that she didn't understand, but whatever was wrong with him looked serious.

"Hello?" she called out weakly, her voice sounding breathless and frail to her own ears. "Is there anyone here?"

Doctor Cottle himself walked up and placed a hand on her brow and at the same time pushed her firmly back down onto her pillow. "No sitting up. Youre a frakking mess and I will be pissed off if you undo my excellent repair job."

"The Commander?" she asked, hating the tearful, weak quality of her own voice. "Is he going to be all right?"

"The Commander is doing well, all things considered. He will recover unless he does something stupid. And you will be fine, as well, young lady, barring stupidity of your own," the doctor added dryly

"The Cylons messed me up a bit," she admitted, sighing tiredly. She closed her eyes for a moment as she realized how lucky she was to be back on the Galactica and more or less in one piece.

"That seems to be the theme of the week in this medical unit. Everyone in here met with a Cylon and lost, the Commander included."

"What happened?" she asked as he pulled the blanket down and carefully pulled the bandage away from her injured side. Having seen what it looked like when she was back on the planet, Athena had no desire to see it again and looked away... her eyes finding Lee's father once more.

"Do I look like a frakking newspaper?" the doctor grumbled, rolling her slightly to check the wound on her butt.

She just looked up at him, hoping he would take pity of her and tell her why the Medical Unit was filled with Cylon casualties. From her bed she could see that there were at least a dozen others filling beds along the walls. Only she and the Commander were in the interior surgical section.

He sighed heavily, redoing the bandages with practiced hands. "The Commander was shot point blank by Sharon Valerii, who we now know is a Cylon."

Athena looked at the doctor in shock, not sure she'd truly heard him correctly. Sharon, a Cylon? How could that be possible? She'd been on the Galactica for over two years!

"Less than a day after that, we were boarded by a small ship of Centurions that crashed into us during a battle. We lost more crew than we can afford, and ended up with nine severely wounded," the doctor continued.

"Did everyone make it back from our survey party? I think I saw Seelix take a bullet or two, and I know the Chief did, as well," she asked, remembering the crazy fight and mad dash to the dradis dish.

"Seelix is resting in her quarters. Chief Tyrol is in the brig until they can determine whether or not he is also a Cylon," he added dryly, lighting up a cigarette and stepping back away from her bed.

"What? Thats crazy! Galen Tyrol is no more a Cylon than the Commander is!" she protested angrily, unable to process the absurdity of the doctors words. "If not for the Chief, we'd all be dead on that frakking planet and the Cylons would have gotten the SAR team, as well."

"Calm down, lieutenant," he advised her with a shake of his head and a push back down onto her pillow when she tried to sit up. "No frakking sitting up! Don't you listen? If the Chief's not a Cylon, Doctor Baltar will clear him."

"This is crazy," she muttered, looking back over at the Commander. It sounded like the shit had really hit the fan and things were spinning out of control. "Who's in command?"

"Colonel Tigh. And in case youre wondering, your Captain Adama is in the brig when he isn't on duty, or I have no doubt he'd be here pestering me about your condition. He backed the President against the Commander and they lost, landing them both in the brig."

"Gods! What else could go wrong?" Athena muttered again. The thought of Lee in the brig and Colonel Tigh in command without the leavening influence of the Commander was frightening. The fleet was in deep, deep trouble.

"Don't ask. Do you want to know about your own injuries before I get back to work?" he asked gruffly, though his eyes looked upon her kindly.

"What's to know? I got shot in the side and the ass, and got hit by something really frakking hard on the head. I also took a piece of shrapnel that bounced around more than a little bit inside and ripped up a few things. Anything else? All that matters is that I'll heal and can fly again."

"That'll do for now. You'll be in this bed for at least four to five days, and grounded from flight a minimum of four weeks. Move as little as possible and do _not_ sit up," he instructed her, smiling slightly at her matter-of-fact evaluation of her own injuries.

"Can you move me closer to the Commander?" Athena asked suddenly, realizing that if Lee were not available to be with his father, she could be. She could do this one small thing for Lee to, hopefully, take some of the burden off his shoulders. She didn't know the details of everything that had happened, but if Lee were truly in the brig, things could not be going well in the Adama world. She was sorry she hadn't been around to help him through whatever was going on.

"Why?" the doctor asked with a frown.

"Because I can talk to him, or read to him. That can only help, right?" Spending time taking care of Commander Adama in that small way would only make time go faster for her, as well. Besides, she knew from previous experience that it really sucked to be alone in this place.

"Why not. Just don't touch anything. And don't sit up!"

xxxxx

Lee sat on his rack in the brig listening to Billy's report on the most recent screw-ups by Colonel Tigh. Supporters of President Roslin were protesting, as D had told him earlier, by refusing to re-supply the Galactica. Tigh had responded in an extremely heavy handed manner that had ended up with four civilians killed by Marines, leading to even more severe problems ensuing throughout the fleet. The Colonel was making bad decisions, one after another, and Lee wasn't sure the fleet would survive until his father was back in command.

It was even worse that Athena was in sickbay, unable to evaluate what was going on and to give him her take on what was happening. Lee would give anything to hear what calm and logical advice she would have about the course of events. Things were, indeed, spiraling even further out of control. His father had started it with his imprisonment of President Roslin, but the XO was setting off even worse explosions throughout the entire fleet. There was no way the XO was capable of running the fleet or even taking the time needed to think before making decisions that could cause unending chain reactions within the fleet. The man had no idea how to deal with civilians, and had barely enough tact to deal with his own military crewmembers.

Lee wasn't sure what the right thing was to do, but he knew that keeping President Roslin locked in that cell was only compounding the problems within the fleet. Only she had the power and skill necessary to defuse the current hostile situation.

"Troops shooting unarmed civilians," the President mused in a horrified tone. "This is a travesty. He has truly stepped over the line. It'll cause an explosion in the fleet. The press will have a field day. The ships will begin to splinter and the Cylons will be able to eliminate us a few ships at a time." She turned to Lee and looked him directly in the eye. "I've got to get out of here now."

"I'm right with you," Lee added, deciding that to do nothing at all would be worse than what he knew had to be done. It was an enormous risk, and not only to his career, but also to the careers of those who would be helping them. But it was a risk that had to be taken. His only regret was that he would be leaving Athena alone in very uncertain times. Unless. . . he wasn't completely sure she couldn't come with them. If her condition was stable enough to allow it.

"I'm so glad to hear you say that," the President stated with a tone of relief apparent in her voice. "I want to take Billy and Elosha with me."

"Of course," he agreed, having expected nothing less. "If Athena is stabilized, then I plan on bringing her with us, as well. I've worked out a way of getting us to the hanger deck, and I can get us a Raptor. . . but we're still gonna need clearance to get off Galactica."

"I know how to get that," she stated firmly, a slight smile forming upon her lips.

"You do?" The woman never ceased to amaze him. Even locked up in a cell she had her fingers on the pulse of the fleet.

"Mmm hmm. The question is. . . where do we go once we get off this ship? We'll have to find some place to hide in the fleet while we rally support among the people," she added, her brow creasing with thought.

"I've got an idea about that," Lee admitted, really hating what he was going to have to do, and whom they were going to have to deal with. But, desperate times called for desperate measures. "You're not gonna like it."

Lee went back on duty and immediately headed to the Medical Unit to see Athena. He desperately needed to talk to her. To get her take on what had happened and what was about to happen. He had missed her council these past days and wondered if he would have ended up in the brig if she had been there to talk to beforehand. He wasn't sure. He'd like to think that he would have still done what he had, but he truly wasn't sure.

One thing that was certain was that the democracy of the fleet had crumbled and turned into a dictatorship and, unfortunately, the dictator was an alcoholic hothead who didnt know the meaning of stop and think. If his father remained out of the picture for any extended period of time, there was no doubt in Lee's mind that the fleet would, indeed, splinter and fall into destruction. Right now they had no reliable leader. That was why it was so important to get President Roslin back out where she could be most effective.

Lee sat down next to Athena and noticed with surprise that the opposite side of her bed was pushed up beside his father's. Clutched within her sleeping hands were one of his father's leather bound books, and Lee wondered who Athena had threatened or bribed to enter the Commander's quarters to obtain it. He was amazingly touched that she was reaching out from her own hospital bed to do what she could for his father. And he was completely certain that she was taking care of his father for him. . . because he was not in a position to do so. That was so like her, and it was one of the reasons he loved her.

"Hey," her voice interrupted his thoughts, and he looked up to see her soft brown eyes upon him. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," he whispered, not wanting to be overheard by any of the sickbay staff or the other injured crew. Or gods forbid, the Marines or his father. He leaned down and placed a soft, lingering kiss upon her lips, not failing to notice the dark circles under her eyes or the too pale, almost translucent skin.

"I hear things have gone to hell in a hand basket while I was away," she murmured as she reached out to take his hand in one of hers. "By the way, how's the rack in the brig?"

Lee grinned at her, not surprised that she had found out at least some of what was going on. He was sure that as soon as she awakened she had been pumping the medical crew for information. "It sucks big time. Especially since youre not there to share it with me."

"Tell me everything that happened after I left for the planet," she ordered, not allowing herself to be diverted by his feeble attempt to charm her.

Lee told her everything that had happened since she flew away on the Raptor to survey the planet Kobol. She sat silently, though her frown began upon hearing about Starbuck taking the Raider and never let up through the rest of the sorry tale.

"You've been busy," she said tiredly, sighing heavily. He wished he could tell from her words or expression what she thought. Was she disappointed in him for his choices? Or proud?

"Yeah. You could say that. But I couldn't let my father destroy the small strides toward democracy that we had begun. I hated like hell to do what I did, but no one person should be allowed to have the kind of power he would have without a president to balance things out," Lee stated adamantly, still believing that he had done the right thing.

"Did you ever consider that Laura Roslin stepped over the bounds and he did the right thing for that moment in time? Did you consider that the Commander had no intention of taking and keeping the power, but was only trying to show her that her actions can have severe repercussions to the entire fleet? Did you stop and think that your actions would cut your father deeper than _anything_ the President could ever do?" she demanded harshly, her voice not rising above a whisper that only he could hear.

He flushed at her words but kept his eyes locked upon hers. Her questions brought a hint of self-doubt into his head, and he couldn't allow that, so he set them aside to deal with later. Besides, at this late date it did no good to dwell on the decisions of the past. They were done. His path was sat, for good or ill. There was no turning back. "I did what my gut told me was the right thing." He paused for a moment. "There's more."

"Gods," she breathed, closing her eyes as she reached up and pulled his face down to hers. She inhaled deeply before looking at him once more, her eyes tearing with emotion. "Tell me."

"I'm helping President Roslin escape in just over an hour. I want you to come with us, if you're able," he whispered, his breath warm against the side of her face and tickling her ear. Lee pulled back slightly and watched as her eyes lost their focus, and he could tell that she was thinking intently, her mind weighing and measuring what he had said and what it meant to them both as well as the fleet. He took her in his arms and let her rest her forehead against his shoulder. In his heart he knew that she couldn't come with them. He could see with his own eyes that her condition was such that she would not only be unable to safely travel, but that she would slow them down when they needed speed and mobility.

His heart ached at the though to being separated again so soon after her perilous return. He was only half a man without her, and he knew it.

"You've thought this through?" Her brown eyes were filling with tears and he heard husky emotion filling her voice.

"Gods, yes. I've been over and over it in my mind," he admitted fervently, stroking her hair and trying to memorize her face. "If Tigh is left unchecked, he'll destroy the fleet. He's making decisions out of anger and fear, and he's deep in the bottle. His judgment is unsound, and there's no one he'll listen to that can point him back in the right direction. He's a loose cannon, Athena, and this is the only way I know to stop him."

"What about your father? Don't you think he's going to be able to get things under control when he wakes up?" she demanded stridently, her voice raising slightly. "The doctor told me that he should recover completely. You can't wait even one more day?"

"No, Athena. By the time my father wakes up and can take control again, the fleet could already be irrevocably splintered. It's now or never," he told her, giving her shoulders a gentle squeeze before sitting back in the chair. "Things are in process as we speak. I was just hoping. . ."

"I can't go with you, Lee," she admitted softly, her tears spilling down her cheeks. "I'd only get in the way and lesson your chances of success. But even if I could go, I wouldn't. I think Laura acted rashly in interfering and sending Kara back to Caprica against the Commanders wishes. I think that your father acted impulsively out of anger and fear, when he could have had a better result by simply isolating the President on Colonial One. I think that Colonel Tigh is indeed out of control and acting without thought or reason. And I think that you and the President are again acting in a dangerous and reckless manner. What you are starting here has the potential of tearing apart the entire fleet equal to what Colonel Tigh is doing. Ship will stand against ship and the innocent will get caught in the crossfire. I think you've chosen a course of action where the risk factors far outweigh the potential for good."

With each word she softly spoke Lee felt his mood sink deeper and deeper. Not only was Athena not supporting him, but she was also speaking against him and his decision. He had expected her to stand with him, regardless of any reservations she may have had. He was disappointed beyond belief. "I had hoped you'd be coming with us. With me."

"I can't, Lee," she repeated with a sad smile. She wiped the tears from her cheeks before reaching out and running her fingers through the hair at the side of his head. "If you go and your father remains unconscious, then the squadron will be at risk. They need a leader, and from what you told me, we both know the XO isn't up to the task. I can do that for you while youre gone. Even from here in this bed I can step up and fill in as CAG until things are resolved. I can watch out for your father, as well. I can make sure he and anyone else who matters understands why you're doing what you're doing. I can't go with you, but I can make it easier for you to return when the time comes and this crisis is over. I can at least do that."

Lee watched her sadly and then looked over at his father. "Thank you. It. . . helps that you at least understand. I don't do any of this lightly." But it still hurt to be leaving her, especially not knowing how long they would be gone or if they would ever be welcomed back.

"I _do_ understand, Lee. I understand why you are doing what you have chosen. Youre taking a stand because it's something you truly believe in. Because you believe in the President and what her office represents. I love you, in part because youre the kind of man who isn't afraid to risk it all to do what you believe is right. No matter how much you have to sacrifice of yourself."

"I _am_ afraid," he whispered, leaning down and kissing her gently with tears filling his own eyes. He was afraid of making the wrong choices. He was afraid his father would never forgive him for what he had done and was now doing. He was afraid that this decision would bring a gulf between himself and Athena that might prove to be unbridgeable. And he was afraid because he had yet to tell her about their baby, and that she would have to deal with all those feelings alone. At least he could be the one to tell her before he left.

"Athena. There's something I need to tell you," he added softly, kissing her face and pulling away so he could see her expression. "When-"

"Sir?" one of his Marines interrupted quietly, the young man's face reddening as he parted the curtain and realized something very personal was going on between the two officers. "We need to leave right now. Colonel Tigh is on his way and youre not supposed to be here."

"Frak!" he cursed, knowing that to be caught here would ruin his carefully planned escape for the President. "Athena. . ."

"It's okay. I'll take care of things here," she whispered, her tears flowing heavier now. "I love you, Lee Adama. Go. Now!"

Lee let go of Athena and stepped around the beds to stand above his fathers head. He leaned down and spoke directly into his fathers ear. "I'm sure you wont approve. But I guess thats nothing new. I just want you to know that this. . . this isn't about you and me." He picked up his fathers hand and briefly held it in his, squeezing firmly before laying it upon his fathers bandaged chest. "Goodbye, dad."

"I love you, Lee," Athena said tearfully from across the beds, her smile warming him and drawing them together despite the separation to come. "The gods be with you."

"I love you, too," he responded huskily, giving her one last look before heading out the hatch with the waiting Marines. For better or ill, the game had begun.

Lees plan began to unfold only minutes later when he was met by one of the Raptor pilots with a supposed problem that only he could resolve. The Marines, who rarely stayed right by his side while he was on duty-no doubt in an attempt to afford him some privacy-found a place to wait safely out of sight and hearing. Lee was pacing the deck, waiting for the President, and wondering for the millionth time if they were make a colossal mistake. He pulled on a cammo shirt, pinned on his Captains bars, and was only seconds away from aborting the plan when the President finally arrived.

He led her and Elosha to the Raptor, not noticing for several moments that Billy was not with them. The younger man stood a safe distance away, watching them with a sad and resolute expression upon his careworn face. Evidently, Athena was not the only one who had reservations about their actions. Oh well, the die was cast and they were off.

Within minutes they were safely off Galactica thanks to Doc Cottle's medical transfer codes and enroute to Cloud Nine, where they would transfer to a civilian shuttle. Raptors were an important asset for the military, and Lee intended on leaving this one where it would quickly be returned for military use. After a few long moments of uncertainty as to whether Colonel Tigh would have them shot out of the sky, they were allowed to continue on and dock inside Cloud Nine.

"Well, were home free for now," Lee told the two women as he ushered them off the Raptor.

"Good to see you, Madam President," a smooth voice spoke up from one side, and Lee looked up to see Tom Zarek waiting, as he had planned.

"Captain Apollo. What is Mr. Zarek doing here?" the President asked cautiously, as if she were wondering whether they had jumped from the frying pan and into the fire.

Lee smiled grimly at her and did his best to ignore Zarek. "Once Tigh gets over his initial shock, he'll send troops out to search for us. If we're going to make it, we have to keep on the move. I figured Mr. Zarek here is the only one in the fleet with enough shady friends around who could possibly hide us."

Zarek chuckled with what sounded like genuine amusement. "I love the way he puts that."

President Roslin looked at Zarek appraisingly. "Well, Mr. Zarek. It would seem that the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"Call me Tom," the older man responded lightly, ignoring her unenthusiastic acceptance of his presence. A person like Laura Roslin couldnt be won over in a day. . . if at all.

"A shuttle's waiting Maam. We have to hurry." Lee led the two women to the waiting civilian shuttle, not looking back to see if Zarek was following. He had no doubt the man would do what he had promised, but he would also milk every moment for all he could get from it. The man was a hardened opportunist, but he was their only option at this point.

They were now in league with the devil.

xxxxx

Not even an hour after Lee had left, the Commander began to stir and awaken. Athena ignored her own pain and sat up on the side of her bed to help him. "We need help!" she called as she leaned over his side and held his arms to keep him from pulling out the tubes and needles. "Wait, Commander! Let me help you."

His eyes focused upon her and he calmed slightly. She pulled the nasal oxygen line off his face and continued to hold him still until a nurse came running up to help.

"My son?" He looked directly at Athena as he spoke, his voice even more raspy than usual.

"He's fine," she assured him, doing her best to pretend that everything was okay.

"Get this crap off of me," he ordered, motioning at the IVs leading into his arm.

"You need the IV fluids, sir. They're laced with antibiotics and after your surgery you need them," the nurse said nervously, trying to avoid his fierce gaze.

He inhaled sharply. "Fine. Get rid of the rest." He looked over at Athena, his eyes intent upon her face.

"What do you need?" she asked softly, keeping a hold of his hand. She had promised Lee shed look after him, and she'd stick to her word. Even if the man was still another hard-headed Adama and refused to do what was best for him.

"Get me to the XO."

Athena helped the Commander sit up, casually ignoring his nakedness as the nurse found an old robe in some closet. They both helped him stand and pull on the garment, tying it in front for him.

"Can you get me there?" he asked her, his eyes taking in her own lack of apparel and bandages. Athena pulled the drafty hospital gown more snugly around her, trying to keep her own ass covered. The nurse, obviously taking pity on her, found another robe similar to the Commander's and helped her into it.

"We'll be back," Athena told the nurse with a grateful smile. Her side was hurting like hell, but she knew the Commander was in no better shape. Lee was counting on her to keep his father from harm, so where the old man went, so did she. Doc Cottle was going to throw a fit when he found out they'd both gotten out of bed and left sick bay without permission.

"What happened to you?" he asked quietly as they put their arms around each other and walked slowly out of the Medical Unit, both leaning heavily on their rolling IV racks and each other.

"Cylons," she answered briefly, saving her breath for walking. Thankfully, two Marines rushed up and took position on either side of them, offering their strength to her and the Commander. "Kobol had an infestation."

He grinned weakly at her show of humor, his own pain etched into his face. "Should you be in bed?"

"Hell, yes! And so should you, you know? You ever hear of ordering people to come to you?" she panted as they thankfully approached the XOs quarters. He frowned at what he no doubt saw as her impudence.

One of the Marines hurried forward and knocked lightly on the door before opening it for them. Athena could hear the Colonel and his wife in the midst of a serious argument. "It was his son!" the XO protested angrily.

The Commander looked at her with upraised eyebrows, realizing from what they had just heard from the XO that something was up with Lee. "Saul!" the Commander said loudly, his voice belying his unsteady condition. Athena and one of the Marines helped him step over the hatchway and into the XOs small quarters. "What's happening on my ship? Wait in the corridor," he told the Marines, who obeyed instantly. Athena helped him over to a chair, where she was glad to receive the XOs help in getting the Commander down into it. The Commander held onto Athena's hand, silently telling her to stay put, and looked over at Ellen Tigh. "Ellen, can I speak to my XO?"

"Of course," the blond woman breathed, looking at the Commander as if he had risen from the dead. She sent a bemused glance at Athena and then stepped through the hatch; one of the Marines closing the door after her.

"Sit before you fall down," the Commander ordered her, pointing to the chair behind a messy desk just across the room. Athena obeyed, and discreetly watched the two men talk. She was actually glad to be sitting down. Now, not only her side burned with the fires of hell, but she felt the beginnings of what she guessed were going to be heavy cramps. She'd been bleeding vaginally when she awoke, and since it wasnt that heavy and a nurse had given her a pad, she figured she was having a period. Regardless of the cause of her aches and pains, she knew she had severely overextended by bringing the Commander to the XOs quarters. She had no doubt the doctor was going to give her hell when they got back to the Medical Unit.

Athena heard the Commander chuckle lightly and couldnt stop herself from listening to the two men as they spoke softly to one another, even though she knew it was meant to be a private conversation.

"I've done that myself," Commander Adama admitted with a commiserating shake of his head.

"Not like these."

"You gonna pour us one of those or what?" the Commander asked, nodding toward a liquor bottle that sat nearby upon the desk.

"Yeah." The Colonel poured two glasses and both men took eager sips.

"I never had much use for people who second-guessed my decisions, especially if they've never held a command. They don't understand the pressure. You make a call that affects the lives of thousands and you have no one to turn to for backup," the Commander stated matter-of-factly.

"You make it look easy," Colonel Tigh commented, voicing the very thoughts in Athena's head.

"You know that's a lie now."

Athena braced her abdomen with an arm, her constant ache turning into a burning pain from deep inside. Gods! She wished she were back in her uncomfortable hospital bed with some pain meds in her hand. She'd never felt so lousy in her entire life.

"There's a lot of pieces to pick up," the Colonel stated solemnly. If it were as bad as Lee had told her, Athena knew that this would end up being an understatement.

"Then we'll pick them up together. Where's my son?" the Commander asked, and Athena held her breath. Both from the pain that was mounting and from what she knew was about to occur. Like it or not, she was going to be pulled into this increasingly awkward conversation, and things were not going to be pretty.

"He and President Roslin managed to escape from the brig and are somewhere out in the fleet. We lost them after they docked their stolen Raptor on Cloud Nine. The only way I could have stopped them was to shoot them out of the sky and. . ." the Colonel trailed off apologetically.

"As much as they deserved it, I appreciate that you didn't," the Commander responded, his face tightening in what was undoubtedly anger. He turned his head and looked directly at Athena. "Did you know about this?"

She stood slowly and then wished she'd remained seated in the chair. Her head spun wildly for a moment as she focused on the Commander's angry face. "I was in sickbay with you, sir."

"That's not what I asked!" he stated sharply, his eyes cutting into hers. "Did you know?"

"Yes, sir," she admitted, clasping her abdomen as she began to feel nauseous and dizzy. "Sir. . ."

"Did he ask you to go, too?"

"Sir. . ."

"Answer me, damn it!" he ordered harshly, his voice gruff and determined.

"Yes, sir. I said no." Oh damn. . . she was going to faint. How undignified. Athena bit her lip and sucked in a deep breath as she felt a hot, wet trail begin to flow steadily down the inside of her legs. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

"Why didn't you go?"

"Sir. . . I. . . I'm bleeding," she whispered, looking down at her feet where a pool of deep red blood was beginning to spread.

Both of the men's expressions froze in obvious horror as their eyes swiveled downward and saw the growing puddle on the hard metal floor. She felt herself sway upon her feet and watched as if from far away as the Colonel leapt toward her, his arms outstretched.

"Oh frak!" he swore as he caught her in his arms, keeping her from falling to the floor.

"Marines!" she heard the Commander shout before she totally lost consciousness and knew no more.

DAY 53

Athena awoke to find the Commander sitting by her bedside in the Medical Unit, once again holding her hand in his. He held his leather bound book in his lap and his eyes were closed, so she didn't know if her were sleeping, or perhaps praying. He looked about as bad as she felt-his usually swarthy face an unhealthy pale.

She sighed heavily, and his eyes opened suddenly and locked with hers. "You here again? I thought you'd be tired of the Med Unit by now," she teased softly, trying to lighten the atmosphere a bit. He looked tired and careworn and she knew that her condition, as well as Lee having again sided with the President, were just two of the events that weighed so heavily upon him.

The Commander chuckled and squeezed her hand lightly. "You're sure a smart ass for someone who just woke up for a second time in two days in that same Med Unit."

"Well, I'm trying not to make a habit of it, but I think there's a conspiracy going on."

"What do you mean?"

"Twice now I've been injured to the point where I can't fly my Viper. I think Chief Tyrol is behind it. He really wants me working on the deck," she informed him with a conspiratorial smile.

He smiled lightly, but the smile didn't extend to his eyes. In an instant Athena knew there was a lot going on that she wasn't aware of. "Yeah. Im sure the Chief would love that. Might be better for you, too. Looks like we can't send you anywhere without you getting hurt."

"Hey! This was not my fault. It was the damn Cylons!" she added half-seriously. It was looking more and more like she would be out of a Viper for an extended period of time. Obviously, there had been more damage inside than she'd realized. And going on the foolish trip to see the XO had only made things worse for her.

He held a hand up and tapped the surgical scar on his chest that was hidden beneath his uniform. "Yeah. Things like this tend to happen when they're around."

"Commander? Will you tell me the truth?" Athena asked suddenly. Enough small talk. There were things that she needed to know, regardless of how hard it was going to be to talk to the Commander about them.

"Always."

"Have you discovered where Lee is? I'm. . . worried about him."

"Me, too. But, no. We don't know where they are. He didn't tell you where they were going?"

"I didn't ask," she admitted softly, knowing she had acted like a lover and not an officer. But she hadn't wanted to know anything she would be forced to tell others. The Commander's face drooped slightly and she knew that despite his anger, and despite his feeling of having been betrayed by his son, he was still obviously concerned about Lee's well being. "Sir, may I speak freely?"

The Commander sighed heavily and nodded, his hand squeezing hers tightly.

"I could have gone with Lee, but I chose not to. Not because I didn't believe in him or in what he decided to do, but because for both of us to be gone, on top of Starbuck's absence would spell disaster for the pilots. There is no one else trained for leadership, and I couldn't leave Galactica in the lurch like that. Plus, by my staying and serving as CAG, I freed Lee to go and do what he felt needed to be done. I want you to know that I support Lee and his decisions, regardless of whether or not you and the XO approve," she stated frankly, wanting him to read between the lines that she would never betray or do anything that would hurt Lee in any way. She had stayed to do her job, but her heart was wherever Lee was.

He pondered her words for a few long moments and then looked up at her thoughtfully. "So you think you're going to be CAG while Lee is gone?"

"Who else do you have that could do the job even half as well," she challenged, staring back at him. She knew in her gut that he had no intention of naming someone else as CAG, but was pulling her strings. It was his way of being playful, odd as that sounded.

The Commander sighed. "No one. You're CAG until further notice. I'll have one of the pilots go to Lee's quarters and bring you what you need to work from here. On a more personal note, I want to say that the day you came into Lee's life was undoubtedly the luckiest day of his life. You have more honor and integrity than any woman I've ever met. I'm unbelievably furious at my son for his choices, and I certainly don't agree with them, but I do respect his courage in making them. That being said, he will still have to deal with the consequences and repercussions from the choices hes made."

"I understand. And thank you for the compliment," she added with a smile. How unbelievably odd it felt to be bonding with the Commander from her ship. It was a real first for her.

"Have you come to lure my patient out of sickbay again?" the doctor asked, storming through the drawn curtains to glare at Athena as if to make sure she had not moved from her bed. He then turned his rabid gaze upon the Commander, who was apparently the one he was really angry with. "This woman has been through two major surgeries in the past two days, the second of which was brought on by you and your particular brand of stupidity! Yesterday you had her traipsing around the ship when she shouldnt have even been sitting upright, and today you're back again. No doubt causing more trouble!"

"It wasn't his fault. . ." Athena began hesitantly, knowing the Commander was getting the blame for decisions she had made the previous day. She hadn't needed to be the one to take him see Colonel Tigh, but she had chose to do so to make sure he was okay. To watch over him for Lee.

"It won't happen again," the Commander replied softly, accepting his part in the events of the previous day. Only his eyes told Athena how much he resented being spoken to in such a manner. However, Doc Cottle was an officer and the only real doctor in the fleet, and they had all discovered that he was not to be trifled with. "I'm here to make sure the lieutenant stays in bed until she's released. What is her condition and prognosis for recovery?"

"You will receive what you need to know in your weekly report. . . which I sent to your office this morning. Right now I want to speak to Lt. Darr alone, if you dont mind," the older man said almost petulantly. "Visiting hours are over."

The Commander glared at the doctor, his jaw clenched much in the same manner she had seen Lee react when he was angry. It amazed her at times how alike and yet how different the two Adama men were. He stood slowly, his own surgical incisions obviously still sore and looked down at Athena.

"We'll talk later."

"Yes, sir," she responded with a sigh. She had felt she was making progress in their relationship and hated to leave things about Lee unresolved. She watched as he patted her shoulder gently and walked away, completely ignoring to doctor. When he was gone she looked at Doc Cottle, who stood watching her thoughtfully.

"What is it with you and the Adama men?" he asked gruffly, shaking his head.

"Well. . . you love one and you have to deal with the other," she acknowledged with a chuckle that hurt her tender stomach. "They're not so tough if you can just get them to stop and listen."

"Better you than me!"

"So, Doc, whats my condition?" she asked hesitantly. Her pain level was down from the previous day, but her insides still felt tender and sore. Plus, though it had eased somewhat, she was still bleeding vaginally.

He sat down in the chair that the Commander had vacated and lit up a cigarette. "What did Captain Adama tell you before he left yesterday? One of the orderlies told me he was here before he and President Roslin made their escape."

"Lee?" she asked, confused at his question. "We didn't really have time to talk about me. He was. . . getting ready to leave and had come to see if I could go with him."

He snorted in disgust. "Thank the gods you had better sense! You had four injuries, the most severe being the damage from the piece of shrapnel. It moved considerably while you were on Kobol and did a hell of a lot of damage. The most notable was to your uterus." He looked at her intently as he took a heavy drag of his cigarette and released the noxious smoke away from her. "Did you know that you were pregnant?"

"I. . . pregnant?" she repeated weakly, shocked at hearing the word from the doctors lips. It had not been a possibility she had even thought of.

"I thought not. You were approximately seven weeks along and, unfortunately, the shrapnel critically injured the fetus. All we could do was fix the damage to your internal organs. Yesterday, your little stunt with the Commander tore a goodly number of internal stitches in your uterus and liver, causing the extensive bleeding."

"I was going to have a baby?" she whispered, not able to get past that particularly unbelievable fact. Her other injuries were of no importance. She had been pregnant for weeks and hadn't even realized it.

"Yes."

"I had no idea," she murmured, her hand moving to rest upon her flat stomach. After she had joined the squadron on Galactica it had been five days before she had been able to get to sickbay for her slightly overdue contraceptive shot, but had never believed she would become pregnant from that first time with Lee. Gods, she had been naïve. "I didnt realize. I. . . I had my regular contraceptive shot a week after I arrived on Galactica, but. . ."

"I don't want the details. The less I know the better. What's important now is that, after yesterday's setback, it will be no less than six weeks until you are fit to fly a Viper again. I'll see to it you have another contraceptive shot before you leave here, which will not be for at least four or five days," he informed her in a monotone that gave away no emotion.

"What will I tell Lee?" she asked, more to herself than to the doctor. How was she going to tell him that she had been pregnant with their child? And that she had lost it because of her injuries? Oh gods! She didnt know what to think, much less what to feel. A baby. Her baby. Lee's baby. Dead before it was even accepted or loved by either of them.

"He knows. I told him just after your first surgery," the doctor informed her dryly. "He told me that the two of you had a relationship and shared quarters, and he wanted to be the one to tell you about it. Now, I don't want you moving from this bed until a nurse or I tell you otherwise. You're a frakking mess inside, and I don't want my fine work destroyed again!"

Athena looked at him blankly, her mind unable to grasp all that she had just learned. "I'm not going anywhere," she whispered, a heavy weight of depression settling upon her. She had been pregnant and lost the baby.

Lee had known-and had left her anyway.


	18. Chapter 18

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Chapter Eighteen

Only the Lonely

DAY 56

Athena hadn't left her bed or been left alone for over three days. Once the word was out that she was CAG again, pilots had been in and out as constantly as the ticking of the clock. She had updated the CAP schedule, taking herself, Lee and Flyboy off the rotation. Starbuck had already been removed which left them twenty-four pilots. There were seven more in basic flight, but they would not be cleared with combat training for at least another three or four months.

After the scheduling was done, the only thing left was to settle their squabbles, listen to unending gossip, and do the daily briefing. Much to Doc Cottles dismay, for the past two days the briefing had been held on one side of the Medical Unit, with the pilots sitting and standing around her bed. She was allowed to sit for a few minutes every hour, so she had one of the pilots crank up the head of the bed into a sitting position as she dealt with the pertinent issues.

The first issue to be discussed, to no ones surprise, was Lee. It was a surprise; however, when Athena learned that the group of pilots seemed to respect his decision and agreed that something had needed to be done. After the accidental shooting of civilians, the pilots wanted nothing to do with crowd control and other Marine issues beyond their experience and training. The consensus was that the XO had been out of his mind to send them into such volatile situations and the blame for the resulting deaths were placed firmly upon his shoulders.

Athena listened to their comments and protests before informing them that there would be absolutely no more open criticism allowed of either those in command or those in the civilian government. She looked at the eager young pilots sitting on the floor around her bed, suddenly felling very old at twenty-six. Most of them were right out of Combat Training just before the initial Cylon attack, and then there were the nuggets. All still wet behind the ears in the way of the military, but quickly becoming seasoned combat pilots.

"There is something else I want to say to you, and I want you to heed my words," Athena stated softly, carefully choosing her words to have the greatest affect. "You are Colonial Pilots, and are a part of the military structure. Your main duty is to defend the Galactica and the fleet, and I want nothing to get in the way of this duty. Many things have happened in recent weeks that do not necessarily place our military in the best light among the fleet, and it is up to us to act professionally and competently to show the people of the fleet that we are a force to be reckoned with. That we _are_ the best and the brightest that our military has to offer. That we _are_ men and women they can count on when there is no one else, and that we will _never_ give up when it comes to the protection of the fleet."

She looked at the pairs of eyes that watched her intently, soaking in her every word. She sat up a little straighter and made eye contact with every pilot in the room. "Any behavior by this squadron that brings criticism upon us or detracts from our reputation will be dealt with by time spent in the brig by the offender. I do not want to hear one negative word outside the Ready Room about Colonel Tigh. You don't have to like him, or even agree with his decisions, but you will absolutely show him the respect due his rank. The same thing applies to Chief Tyrol. I _implicitly_ believe in the Chief, and I will personally deal with any talk of him being a Cylon! We are a squadron of fighter pilots, not a bunch of gossips with nothing better to do than second guess our leaders and slur the names of our peers."

No one spoke, though eyes flickered back and forth among the attentive pilots. "You are, of course, entitled to your own opinions and have the right to express them. But you will do so in the privacy of our Ready Room or in your quarters. Not in the head. Not in the mess. Not in the hanger bay or corridors. I will always listen to what any of you have to say and, trust me, if you have a good idea, I'll most certainly use it. In order to be a good leader I need to be available to you and support you both individually and as a group, and I expect your support and cooperation in return. We are short pilots as it is, and I need each and every one of you."

Athena settled back against the bed, tired beyond all measure. She was constantly worried about Lee. She was worried for Galen since he was accused of being a Cylon. She was worried about the state of the hanger bay and Vipers without him in control. And underneath it all she was sad and lonely and depressed beyond belief about the baby.

But she couldnt think about that now. There was work to be done and no room for personal weaknesses.

She smiled lightly at her crew and handed the CAP and Alert One Response schedule to Racetrack, who was closest. "Please post this on the board in the Ready Room. You all know what needs to be done, and you all know how to get it done. Do it to the best of your abilities and I will see to it that you have the respect and appreciation you deserve. Any questions or comments? Now is the time to speak up because we will not deal with these issues again after this briefing."

No one spoke up, though everyone was glancing back and forth to see if anyone else was going to speak.

"I have something to add," a gruff voice commented, and Athena looked up to see Commander Adama standing at the back of the room, partially hidden by a curtain.

"Sir!" Athena snapped a salute and was gratified to see the entire squadron jump to their feet and salute the Commander. She wondered how much of her speech the Commander had heard, and how he would react to it. She had been dealing with a lot of negative gossip and low morale and had decided to deal with it head on.

He responded to their salutes and shook his head. "As you were." When they were all sitting again he stepped around them and approached the side of her bed. He smiled at her gently before turning to face the squadron as they waited tensely for whatever was about to happen. He looked at them piercingly, much as she had only minutes before, one by one.

"As your CAG told you, you are the best and the brightest that our military has to offer. Every day you place your lives on the line for Galactica and for the fleet. I want each of you to know that you are appreciated and valued. I also want you to know that I highly value the officer who is now leading you. So much so that today I am making a much-needed change. Things in our military are no longer as formal as they once were, but I wanted a public forum for this particular event. As of today, Lt. AJ Darr is promoted to the rank of Captain."

The Commander turned to her and held out a case that contained the metal bars that denoted the rank of Captain and placed it in her hand. "Normally, I would put them on her uniform blouse, but she seems to be sadly underdressed today."

The pilots laughed and Athena gave the Commander a grateful smile. He was going out of his way to place her pilots at ease and to let them see him as William Adama, the man. "Sorry sir. If I'd known you were coming I'd have worn a fancier gown," she quipped, playing along with his joviality.

"No problem, Captain Darr. I'm sure you know where they go. Congratulations, Captain," he stated, snapping her a formal salute.

"Thank you, sir," she replied, still more than a bit shocked at what had just occurred, and returned the salute. He smiled openly at her, nodded, and walked out of the room.

The pilots crowded around her bed, offering their own congratulations and expressing their surprise at the Commander's sudden appearance. She was just about at the end of her endurance when Dr. Cottle stormed in and chased everyone away with insults and threats, though he looked at her with concern. Only he knew that once the pilots left she lapsed into silence and depression. And only he knew why.

DAY 57

Athena was finally released from the Medical Unit and made her way to the pilots quarters to pack her things. She was moving into Lee's quarters where she would not only have privacy to work, but could be ensured of uninterrupted sleep. The senior pilots quarters were a noisy place, and she couldn't face the cheerful camaraderie she knew she would find there.

It only took a couple of minutes to unpack her things and then she was at loose ends. Her work as CAG was as caught up as it ever would be, and she had been banned from the flight deck for the next two weeks. She had nothing to do. Nothing to do except think about Lee and the baby.

It surprised her to find that as the days passed, her anger at Lee had grown. He had known about the baby and had left anyway! He had said nothing to her and left her to deal with the aftermath on her own. For the first time she had found herself on the receiving end of his coldness and it hurt! It hurt deeply.

On top of her anger with Lee, she was overwhelmed with sorrow at the loss of a child she had never known about. A child that would have been part Lee and part her. And she felt an emptiness inside that she didn't know how to deal with. She felt empty and lifeless down to her very soul, and lonelier than she'd ever been in her life.

While it was a great honor to have been promoted to Captain, that very promotion separated her from the rest of the squadron to an enormous degree. She was no longer truly one of them, but was their leader and commander. No longer a friend they felt comfortable around, but someone they felt the need to be on their best behavior with. She had lost Lee for only the gods knew how long. She had lost their child forever. And she had lost every friendship she had begun to develop. So, while she had always been a bit of a loner, she was not used to being so completely isolated and alone.

Alone with her thoughts.

Alone with her fears.

Alone with her sorrow.

xxxxx

DAY 59

It had been a week since Lee, President Roslin and Elosha had been on the run, and there had been nothing pleasant about their freedom. The President spent her time sending out covert broadcasts and trying to sway the fleet to her side of the conflict with Commander Adama and his military authority. Elosha prayed and quoted scripture until Lee knew more scripture than hed ever cared to. He wondered time and again if hed done the right thing, and he worried unendingly about Athena. He had little to no news from the Galactica, and could only pray she was recovering from her injuries.

He hated being separated from her when he knew she needed him, and found that he needed her more than hed ever dreamt. She was what kept him grounded. She was what drove him to be a better man and do what he knew to be right and honorable. She softened his hard and cold edges and made him more human. . . more approachable. She loved him and made him feel worth loving. When he looked at her he saw his future reflected in her eyes.

And worst of all, he dreamt about their baby. Sometimes she was a beautiful living child, and other time she was dead in his arms. Sometimes he saw her die over and over, and sometimes he saw Athena dying with her. After a week, he was to the point where he hated to go to sleep at night. Most nights he paced the floor of wherever they were, until he fell into an exhausted and hopefully dreamless sleep. Yes, nights were the worst.

In the past week they had been on three different ships, staying just a step in front of the Marines searching for them. This most recent ship, the Kimba Huta, was by far the worst of them. It was a cold storage ship and warmth was but a fond memory.

"How much longer are we meant to stay hidden in this meat locker?" President Roslin asked Elosha, her constant companion during the past week. Lee heard the hatch open and rose from where hed been sitting upon the floor, thinking about Athena and the loss of their child.

"I don't know," the priest responded, her own voice tired.

Lee was sick and tired of being in the meat locker, as well, but he figured it was one of the safest places in the fleet. Tom Zarek walked up to the President and Lee deliberately made his way closer, making sure Zarek knew he was nearby and ready to protect the President.

"I communicated your latest message for the Quorum of Twelve, and they've decided that the question of openly supporting you needs more deliberation," the older man reported to the President. His eyes flickered to Lee, and then back to the President.

As helpful as Zarek had been in the past week, Lee still couldn't bring himself to like or trust the man. His gut told him that no matter what the man displayed for the world to see, the main focus of his life would be the well-being and future of Tom Zarek. He had embraced the President and her position no doubt because she was on the opposite side of the military and William Adama. He had more chance of obtaining power with the Quorum of Twelve and the President than he ever would with the Commander.

"I need to make an appeal to the people," the President mused, looking across the room thoughtfully.

"Make a strong enough argument and the Astral Queen will be the first ship in line," Zarek promised, his gaze lighting upon President Roslin earnestly.

Lee snorted his disbellief and bitterness at the mans words. "Like they know anything but roll over and take orders from you." It galled him to no end that a man like Zarek was in charge of fifteen-hundred prisoners, all who treated him like he was a god and the answer to their every prayer. It galled him even more that he had been the one to allow Zarek the opportunity to fall into such a position. He should have let Starbuck shoot the bastard!

The man looked at Lee with a half-smile. "One more bit of news I should convey. Zeus had returned to Olympus." Lee frowned at the words, knowing that Zarek considered his father as Zeus. "Adama is back in command."

"My. . . father. . . he's back?" he asked, embarrassed at the stutter of emotion he heard in his own voice. Lee found himself unbelievably relived to hear that his father was out of danger and back in command. Colonel Tigh had been the Galactica's worst enemy and only his father had the rank and ability to keep him in check. Now if only he could find out about Athena's condition.

"Word just came over the wireless."

"He's a tough old bird," the President commented fondly. Lee sighed heavily and turned away. He was too overcome with emotion to allow Zarek to watch him. He was sure every emotion and feeling of relief and love for his father must be showing upon his face.

"What we really need is something heartfelt," Zarek stated softly, rubbing his chin as though in heavy thought. "Something human and personal that will galvanize the people. Like. . . a son denouncing his father."

Lee spun and stared at the man, not liking the sound of what had been suggested. He had followed his own conscience, but that didn't mean he thought his father was the enemy. They wanted the same things. . . they just went about getting there differently. Very differently. However, he had pretty much burned his bridges, and if the President thought this would make a difference then he would give it a try. To a point.

Moments later he found himself standing in front of a very old cassette recorder. He hit the record button and stood watching the tape move within the machine. He closed his eyes and prayed that he was doing the right thing. He wished for the millionth time in the past week that Athena was with him, advising him.

"My name is Lee Adama. Until recently I was the Commander of Galactica's Air Group. But when Commander Adama, my father, decided to stage a military coup against the President, I could no longer support him or his actions." He paused for a long moment, collecting his thoughts and trying to figure out where to go next. "I love my father. I respect him. But in this. . . he is wrong. He must be opposed. I call on all free-thinking people in the fleet. I. . ."

Lee watched the tape spinning once more and wondered what the hell he was doing! He could see a triumphant look on Zarek's face and was quickly coming to the conclusion that he was being manipulated in a big way. He also knew that taking this particular step would burn the last bit of the bridges he had left behind. To do this would be the ultimate betrayal of his father, the Galactica, and even of Athena. . . and that was a line he was not willing to cross. He reached out and pressed stop button, halting the recording and looked up at the President.

"I can't do this. Sorry, everyone. I thought I could, but I can't," he added, hating the fact that he was letting the President down. But they would have to find another way. A way that did not include his stabbing his own father through the heart. He pulled the tape out of the machine and held it tightly within his clenched fist. The President looked at him, not with disappointment, but with resignation. He wondered if she had truly hoped he would be unable to go through with it, thus retaining even a small chance he and his father could one day reconcile.

"I'm playing the religious card," she stated adamantly. "I know exactly what I have to do." Zarek pulled a second tape out of his pocket and handed it to her. She placed it in the machine and began a new chapter of her life.

xxxxx

"The doctor has informed me that youve lost eight pound in the past seven days. To him, that indicates you are not eating," the Commander stated bluntly from where he sat behind his desk.

Athena had been directed to his quarters via a general broadcast, and she hadn't know what to expect. Her first thought was that there was a CAG issue to be dealt with, but she had certainly not expected to be confronted on a personal issue. Damn that interfering doctor! But he was right; she was not eating, at least not enough to maintain her weight. It was just that. . . food turned into cardboard in her mouth these days. She was so overwhelmed with sorrow that she only had energy enough to keep up her duties and then she simply sat in her quarters. . . thinking, dreaming, wondering.

"I-" she felt tears horrifyingly close to the surface and knew that if she spoke she would end up letting loose a flow of misery that she would not be able to control.

"Sit," he ordered gruffly, his forehead creasing as he observed her entire body begin to tremble. She was unable to comply, her muscles locked in place, and he quickly rose from his chair and moved around the desk, his hands gently directing her across the room to the couch, where he gently pulled her down and sat beside her. "What is it, Athena?"

"I can't. . . I just. . ." she stammered, feeling the hot moisture overflow and begin to stream down her cheeks. Not thinking, she leaned into him and cried violently into his chest. It didn't matter that he was the Commander of Galactica; right now he was simply Lee's father and she needed that simple connection to the man she loved.

"Hey," he murmured, awkwardly putting his arms around her and scooting close enough to allow her more comfort in his arms. "It's going to be all right. I don't know how. I don't know when. . . but everything is going to work out. Lee will come back."

"Its. . . not. . . Lee," she sobbed, realizing that Doc Cottle had not told the Commander about her pregnancy and miscarriage. The Commander had made the not unreasonable assumption that her tears were because of Lee's absence and the uncertainty of his position when he did return. While she was certainly concerned about those things, it was the loss of their child that was the basis of her very real depression. "I. . . we. . . I lost our baby!" she blurted out tearfully, not knowing how to say it any differently. She only knew she had to tell him. To share her grief with someone. . . anyone!

"A baby? You and Lee?"

She nodded against his chest, her sobs coming harder as she finally completely let go of her emotions. She had been holding things in check for so long now that once the dam holding back her sorrow burst, there was no holding it back. He began to rock back and forth gently, both of his arms encompassing her hunched shoulders as she cried her heart out.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, his lips gently kissing the top of her head. "Just go ahead and cry. It's okay to cry."

Athena took him at his word and cried until she had no more tears. She was so mentally and physically exhausted that she felt herself drift into sleep against him, unable to stop herself from seeking the oblivion she so desperately needed.

x

"What the hell?" a voice woke Athena, and she realized she had been sleeping on the Commander's couch, covered with a light blanket. She remained silent, not feeling up to dealing with the presence of Colonel Tigh, whose voice it was she had just heard.

"Quietly, Saul," the Commander said from somewhere else in the room. "She's been through a lot."

"As have we all," the XO growled harshly, obviously not pleased to find her sleeping on the Commander's couch.

Lee's father sighed heavily. "She lost a baby this week."

There was a lengthy pause. "Not yours, I hope."

Athena almost gave herself away upon hearing those words, but forced herself to lie quietly and keep her breathing steady. Now more than ever, she didnt want the XO to know she was awake.

"I don't know whether to punch you for your disrespect to both her and I, or grin with pride that someone thinks I still have what it takes to attract and father a child with a beautiful young woman. The baby she lost was my grandchild. It would have been my first grandchild," the Commander added sorrowfully.

"Captain Darr and Lee?" the XO asked incredulously. "I never would have guessed. I gather you knew about them?"

"I knew. They had my blessing. I was happy that Lee had found someone so. . ." he hesitated as if at a loss for words. "Someone to love in time such as these. Someone who loved him for himself and didn't give a rats ass who his father was. A woman worthy of the Adama name."

"I take it you think highly of her," the XO mused, perhaps at a loss for words.

"Very much. Don't you?"

"From what I've seen so far, she's an excellent officer. She handles the pilots well, does a better job with the paperwork than Lee ever did, and has the respect of everyone who knows her. I suppose that's about as good as it gets," he stated dryly. "I'm not sure about her taste in men, though."

"I don't want to talk about Lee. Did you need me for something?" the Commander asked, not allowing the conversation to go any further.

"Nothing that can't wait. I'll be in the CIC for the rest of the shift."

Athena heard him step away and then heard the hatch open and close.

"You can get up now," the Commander told her, amusement in his tone.

"I'm sorry, sir," she apologized, rising slowly and cradling her still sore side. "I didn't-"

"No worries. It would not have been the best time to confront Saul," he added, coming back to sit across from her on the couch. "Are you feeling any better now?"

"Yes, sir, I. . ."

"Could you bring yourself to call me Bill when were alone like this, talking about personal things?" he asked suddenly, his eyes watching her appraisingly. "After all, we are now somewhat related."

"I'll try. . . Bill," she added, feeling more than a little awkward, but knowing that the Commander had no one other than the XO to talk with in an open and casual manner. She sighed heavily. They had that much in common. "I'd like to thank you for. . . earlier. I've been so depressed and overwhelmed with sorrow, and there was no one I could talk to. No one who knew about the baby, or for that matter, even about Lee and I. Only Kara and Chief Tyrol know and Kara's gone and the Chief has his own set of troubles right now."

"I'm. . . honored that you told me, though I wish you had come to me sooner," he said with a little frown. "I'm deeply sorry about the baby, and I want you to know that you can come here to my quarters any time you feel the need. My door is always open to you. Day or night."

"Thank you, s- Bill," she accepted with a tiny smile. She did feel amazingly better now that she had told him about her loss, and now that she had finally let go and cried for her child. Perhaps it would begin to get easier now.

Perhaps.

DAY 60

Athena stood in the CIC, monitoring the refueling of the fleet vessels, when the latest of President Roslin's messages to the fleet was delivered to Commander Adama. She kept an ear on what her pilots were doing and another on the conversation between the Commander and XO. She had also been asked by the XO to prepare a handful of Raptors with Marine teams to attempt recapturing the President, and she was to remain nearby in case the Commander gave them the go ahead.

"It seems I have been chosen to help lead you to the Promised Land of Earth. I will not question this choice. I will simply try to play my part in the plan. Therefore, at the appointed hour, I will give the signal to the fleet. All those wishing to honor the gods and walk the path of destiny, will follow me back to Kobol. It is there that we will meet the gods servant with the Arrow of Apollo," the Commander read before throwing the clipboard violently against the tabletop and scattering the papers.

The XO glanced up at Athena, his expression alarmed, as if he had never seen the Commander lose his temper before. At least, not in such a public forum. "We've got five Raptors with Marine fireteams standing by to board the Astral Queen," the Colonel informed the Commander.

"No one's gonna follow her," the Commander snarled, taking deep breaths as if to try and regain his composure. "No one's gonna believe this crap! No one's this stupid. And anyone that is. . . that wants to make a suicide run to Kobol. Please, let them!"

The tankers had finished the fueling operations and the Vipers had been recalled when Lt. Gaeta informed them that a signal flare had been fired from the Astral Queen. Almost immediately, the Astral Queen jumped and Athena felt a sense of panic upon realizing that Lee had truly gone back to Kobol, where the Cylons were surely waiting.

"Now we'll see how many follow," the Commander said softly, his eyes searching out Athena's. She knew that her own pain was bared to anyone who knew about her relationship with Lee, but she was at a loss as to how to conceal those feelings.

"To sit around and wait for Starbuck to show up with that stupid arrow. Two, three at the most," Colonel Tigh predicted acidly.

Athena watched Lt. Gaeta, whose face was growing paler and more alarmed by the moment. After a few very long minutes he looked up at the Commander. "Twenty-four ships, sir."

"That's almost a third of the fleet!" the XO exclaimed, obviously amazed that so many had followed upon what he considered a fools quest.

The Commander looked down at the table, his eyes unfocused and his mind turned deeply inward. Athena knew that he had to be feeling something similar to what she was experiencing, knowing that his son had flown off to almost certain peril. Without a word he turned and walked away, leaving the CIC personnel staring after him.

The XO looked at Athena as if to ask her what they should do now. She nodded faintly, and followed discretely behind the Commander, leaving the ship in the XOs hands. She knew he was more than capable of handling any military emergencies, whereas she was better suited to deal with the Commander at this particular moment.

Athena followed him, surprised to see him walk into the morgue. She kept her distance, knowing that he needed the time alone, or he would not have left in such a manner. He never said a word to acknowledge her presence, just pulled open the drawer that contained Sharon Valarii's body. He pulled up a chair and just stared at the body of the Cylon infiltrator they had all thought they'd known. Finally, he placed a gentle hand upon the girl's pale, cold forehead and cried. Great big racking sobs that told her that his grief was no less than her own. She gave him a few minutes and then stepped fully into the room and approached the man she was beginning to love as if he were her own father. She placed her arms around his shoulders and just held him, much in the same manner hed held her when she'd broken down in his quarters.

"I don't. . . know what. . . to do next," he admitted brokenly. "I don't know what to do."

Athena simply held him, not having any answers to give him. Finally his sobs abated and he straightened in his seat. She loosened her hold on him, but kept her hands lightly upon his shoulders. The Commander was the most isolated and lonely man she had ever met, and she knew that her presence was all she could give him at that particular moment in time.

"We loved her and she ended up being a Cylon who betrayed our trust," he murmured with his eyes again on Sharons body. "The President betrayed my trust and. . . and Lee. . . I just don't understand how he could have turned his back on everything he ever believed in. The uniform he wears. The oath he took. His duty to this ship. It's as if none of it matters to him any longer and he is entirely focused on Laura Roslin. What is her hold over him? How has she managed to turn him away from us? From me?" he gritted out, his feeling of betrayal filling every word that rushed from his lips.

"With respect, I do not believe that Lee has turned his back on his oath as an officer," Athena disagreed firmly, moving to one side so he could see her face. She would not say the things she had to say to his back, but only to his face. Suddenly, she was filled with more thoughts and feelings than she could ever express to the stern man who was Lee's father. "The oath we take is to defend the Articles of the Twelve Colonies and its people. To uphold democracy and justice among our populace. Our oath is not intended to indenture us to the military, or to allow military practices to supercede the democratic way. Lee is taking his oath _very_ seriously. To the point where it has moved him away from the decisions you have made in your role of military Commander, because he believes those decisions are not in support of the Articles we all swore to uphold."

"I-"

"Let me finish," she interrupted with her hand held up to stop his protest. "You also appear to be taking this personally, if I read your comment about Laura Roslin correctly. But I believe Lee would be doing the same for any other president in this same set of circumstances. You and Lee were just beginning to resolve your past issues and come together as father and son, and then this mess cropped up. Well, you can trust me when I say that leaving you lying in that bed was one of the hardest things he has had to do since the holocaust began! He loves you deeply, and he respects you tremendously. But he is _not_ you and doesn't think in the same manner as you. He is a loyal, honest and honorable man in his own right, and he is not afraid to step out and do what he believes to be right, regardless of the cost to him. Do you think he wants to be away from Galactica right now?" Athena asked angrily. Despite her own anger at Lee for leaving her at such a time, she understood the reality of the times in which they were living. If good people didn't step forward and do what was right, the survival of their race would be for nothing.

"I don't understand him. I don't understand what motivates him," the Commander admitted softly, running a hand through his hair in much the same manner Lee did when he was upset or angry.

"Lee spent the first twenty years of his life trying to make himself important to you, sir. Trying to do everything you thought was important to the best of his ability simply to get your attention. It didn't matter whether he liked what he was doing... he just wanted to please you. And he feels that nothing he ever did was good enough. That you were so focused on your career that you sacrificed your wife and both of your sons," she told him honestly, not trying to hide the brutal truth as seen from Lees eyes.

"Lee then spent the next ten years following his own heart, believing that it didnt matter what you thought or cared about, because you didn't love him anyway. Ironically enough, he was enough like you that the very skills and talents he honed were the ones you actually valued and respected the most. He blamed you for Zak's death because Zak only joined the military because he thought it would bring the two of you closer. Then Lee ended up here on Galactica for the first time in his life was able to be around you day after day. For the first time he was able to observe you in your element, and he realized that there was so much more to you than he had ever thought." Athena sighed, realizing that she was being very blunt in her words, and hoped he would take them in the manner they were meant.

"But through it all, Lee has never stopped loving you. And despite his best efforts to the contrary, he still finds that he wants to please you. But he is a man in his own right, and wants you to respect him for who _he_ is. Not just because he's your son, but because he's a man deserving of your respect. He's changed a lot since he first came onto Galactica, as I suspect you have. I don't know what else to tell you. I'm sorry, sir, if I said things you didn't want to hear, or that you don't believe are true. . . but this is what I believe Lee thinks and feels. This is what I understand his perceptions to be, based upon the things we have talked about and the things I have personally observed," she explained with a shrug.

Now it was up to him. He could accept her words at face value or he could reject them. The key was whether or not he truly wanted to understand his son. He stared at her and she found herself growing nervous. Gods! She could end up a lieutenant again if he took offense to her words. She hoped she hadn't been unwise in her blunt form of honesty.

"I don't like much of what you've said, but you've given me a lot to think about," he told her carefully, his expression giving nothing away as he rose from the chair and pushed the drawer back into the wall. He simply stood there for a long moment, as if deciding what to say next, and then he looked directly at her. "I appreciate your willingness to offer your opinions. Thank you. I'll see you back at the CIC. There are decisions to be made."

x

Athena walked back into the CIC after making sure her pilots were all on task and doing what they were scheduled to do. D was standing uncomfortably between the Commander and Colonel Tigh, her expression tight and miserable. Whatever their discussion, D was not pleased with what was occurring.

"I'm not interested in people who decided to join up with a religious fanatic and a terrorist," the Commander almost growled, his anger apparently again in the forefront. Hidden deep inside was his grief and worry, but only his harsh and angry side was visible to the crew in the CIC. Apparently, her words had not had the desired effect. "That's their business. Now, what have I lost?"

"Twelve transports, seven freighters, three construction platforms, a private cruiser and a mining ship, sir," D answered in an equally tight voice.

"The Monarch was a blow," the XO stated with a shake of his head. "We can't afford to lose mining ships. Not in our situation. And then there's the collateral damage. Morale is down throughout the fleet. The press is going wild. Families are being split apart."

"Don't talk to me about families!" the Commander ordered harshly, his eyes flickering to Athena and then instantly away.

"The CAP is reporting all calm within the remaining fleet," she reported to the XO, deciding she could give the Commander as good as she got. "We are well covered at this location until you decide what our next step should be. Unless you need me, I have things to do elsewhere."

Tigh nodded and looked from her to the Commander, who remained silent. "Dismissed. Ill get a hold of you if there are any changes you need to know about."

"Thank you, sir," she replied, saluted both men, and left the CIC.

There was nothing else for her to do there.

xxxxx

DAY 61

"I support the President completely!" Lee shouted, having to raise his voice to be heard above the bickering of the leaders from the twenty-four ships that had chosen to follow the President. Apparently, his name being Adama meant he was considered to be a threat and an outsider. How ironic that he seemed to be unfit for either side of this particular struggle. He looked at the unorganized and uncontrolled civilians around him. "And my priorities are the preservation of her safety and the completion of this mission."

"That's all well and good," the Geminon Representative said sarcastically, "but he's still Adamas son."

"Yeah! That's right!" others chimed in around the room. Lee shook his head in frustration and simply looked at the President. Nothing of value was going to be accomplished in this room, with this particular body of people.

The Geminon Representative looked at everyone but Lee. "When push comes to shove how do we know he'll be willing to stand up for-"

"If it were not for him, I would still be in a Galactica jail cell," President Roslin inserted sharply, staring directly at the woman who was casting aspersions upon Lee's loyalty to their cause. "I trust him completely and this subject is closed."

"And what about Galactica?" another one of the representatives asked, glaring at the President as if it were entirely her doing that he was in this room and he'd had no choice in the matter. "They know where we are. They could jump in here at any time and charge us all with treason, or destroy this ship with a flick of the wrist!"

"We're not entirely defenseless," Tom Zarek interjected smoothly, garnering the attention of the people within the room. "Some of our ships are armed. We should take steps to arm the others, just in case." The din of dozens of people talking at once filled the conference room.

Lee snorted loudly at the absurdity of the suggestion he had just heard from Zarek. "Just in case? Just in case we want to commit suicide!" he countered loudly, pleased that the noise level dropped again and he had the groups attention. "If Galactica wants to take us down, there is _nothing_ we can do about it. Nothing! And nobody in this room should be under any illusions on that count."

The President stepped forward and looked at the concerned faces around them. "At this point it is my firm belief that Commander Adama has let us go. Lt. Thrace _will_ return. She will have the Arrow of Apollo and it will help us find our way to Earth."

"And exactly how long should we wait for her?" one of the representatives asked in fear or frustration; Lee couldnt tell which. "I mean, maybe we should go down to the surface now. Go down now and start looking for this tomb."

"I wouldn't be so eager," Lee advised him dryly, realizing that there was no logic involved in dealing with civilians. "There may still be Cylons present." His SAR team had destroyed one group of the Cylons, but there were sure to be more stranded on the planet, waiting to either be rescued by a BaseStar, or planning to remain there as long as they were functional to destroy any human that came to the planet.

"Some of us will die down there," Elosha stated solemnly, coming forward for the first time and looking from person to person, as if gauging their commitment and understanding. The room silenced under the intensity of her gaze. "The scriptures tell us that any return to Kobol carries with it a cost. . . in blood."

"People," the President stated with a heavy sigh. "I realize there are still many unanswered questions here."

Lee heard the hatch open and watched as Meier, Zareks second in command, entered the room and made his way to Zarek's side, bending down to whisper something into his bosses ear.

"But I refuse to lose sight of what this has always been about," the President continued, oblivious to the introduction of another person into the room. "Our mission to save humanity. Yes, its a big one. But it is our foretold destiny and I, for one, am not going to waiver from it now."

Lee watched as Zarek quietly got up and followed Meier out of the conference room. Something was up.

"If there is anyone here who does not have the stomach for the mission, you are welcome to rejoin Commander Adamas fleet," she ended, sending the challenge throughout the room.

The representatives began talking quietly among themselves and Lee pulled President Roslin off to one side. "Zarek just left with Meier and it looked like something important. I think we need to see what is going on. I don't trust either of them."

"Agreed." She nodded at Elosha, letting the woman know that it was up to her to deal with the representatives and followed Lee out the hatch. He hurriedly led her to the Control Room, where they found Zarek and Meier peering at the dradis console.

". . . thing is moving fast," Meier said in a worried tone. "If we're gonna shoot it down, we better shoot it down!"

"Shoot what down?" the President asked Zarek, stepping up beside him. Lee inserted himself between the two men and moved so he could see the dradis screen. There was an unidentified ship on an intercept course with the small fleet. "Do I have to repeat myself?" President Roslin asked Zarek again, her tone sparking with anger and frustration.

"Madam President," Meier said in a respectful tone that reeked of condescension and did not ring true. "We have a security situation, that's all."

"She wasn't talking to you," Lee told Meier curtly, keeping his eyes on the dradis. It was clear to him that both Zarek and Meier had their own agenda within all the current happenings, but he wasn't quite sure what it was. However, the approaching ship was more important at the moment. The ship was four or five times larger than Kara's Raider and it was also bigger than a Raptor. Odds were, it was a Cylon ship. All colonial ships were built with colonial transponders in the factory. To remove your transponder would mark you as suspicious and thus shorten your expected life span.

Zarek sighed and looked from Lee to the President. "There's an unidentified ship making its was toward us. It's too big to be the lieutenants Cylon Raider."

"It's in weapons range," Meier added, his frustration with the delay apparent in his voice and body language. The man was only trying to protect his ship and it had to rankle to give over control when President Roslin had come on board. "The Adriatic has to fire her missiles now!"

"We need a decision, Madam President," Zarek prodded in his annoyingly calm voice.

President Roslin looked at Lee for confirmation and held his gaze. Now that he was certain it wasn't a ship sent by his father, he was inclined to agree with Meier that it was a threat and should be destroyed. He was just about to speak when a familiar voice came across the wireless radio.

"Civilian vessels. Civilian vessels. This is Starbuck. Do you read?"

Lee grinned with relief at the unmistakable sound of Kara's voice. Not only was the strange ship not a threat, but Kara had made it back home, hopefully with the arrow she'd been sent to retrieve from Caprica. If he knew anything at all about Kara, it was that she would not have returned at all without the arrow.

"Do you read? Say again. . . this is Starbuck. Is anybody getting this? Hello?" she called out in an aggravated tone. Lee laughed out loud at her typical Starbuck attitude. "Hello?" she repeated.

Meier looked up at the President and, at her nod keyed the radio in response. "Initiate docking."

Lee waited impatiently for Kara to dock and get her ass onto the ship. It had been a long time, and he had begun to think she wouldn't be coming back at all. She walked through an entry door limping heavily and looking like a bedraggled puppy, but she grinned when she saw him waiting. He hurried forward and took her into his arms, enfolding her into a crushing hug. Gods! He had missed her. Impulsively he moved away slightly and gave her a big kiss on the lips.

She immediately froze and pushed away from him, looking at him in complete shock. "Good to see you, too, Captain."

"Remind me to send you to the brig later," he teased as he let her go completely and followed her gaze to the President, who was walking toward them with a relieved smile on her face.

"Yeah, well. . ." Kara stammered with a shrug, letting him know she wasn't the least bit sorry for her actions. But that was okay. He wasn't truly sorry for his, either. It was a big hornets nest, but there wasn't anything else he could have done in the situation. Kara no doubt felt the same way.

"Lieutenant," the President greeted her, reaching out and shaking Karas hand.

Kara looked up at Lee, her pleasure at being home overshadowed by something obviously serious. "Lee, there's something I need to tell you."

Over her shoulder he saw the door open again and through it walked Sharon Valerii! He shoved Kara and the President roughly out of the way and ran the dozen steps between them, shoving the Cylon up against the wall and holding his gun to the side of its head.

"Lee, wait!" Kara yelled, panic filling her voice.

"Don't you frakking move," he ordered the Cylon, cocking his weapon and glaring into the creatures familiar brown eyes. How in the hell had Starbuck come to be with another of the Sharon copies? And why didn't she know it was a Cylon?

"Stop! She's with us!" Kara informed him, placing her hand over his on the sidearm. His hand shook with rage as he stared at the Cylon who had shot and almost killed his father. He wanted her dead and he wanted to be the one to do it! He was a fraction of an ounce away from pulling the trigger when a hard object pressed into his back between his shoulder blades.

"Drop your weapon, sir," a male voice warned, and Lee realized it was a sidearm being pressed into his back. "Drop your weapon!" the man repeated.

"Helo!" Kara shouted, her eyes full of panic and fear at the way the situation had so quickly deteriorated into chaos. Lee realized that the man holding a gun on him to keep him from killing the Cylon was none other than Carl Agathon, Sharon Valeriis ECO in the days before the war began.

Lee panted heavily, his eyes going from that almost calm expression on the Cylon's face to Kara's horrified one, and wanted nothing more than to squeeze the trigger. Kill the enemy before she killed more of the people he loved and cared about. All around he could see Astral Queen security officers with weapons trained on the entire group of pilots.

"Gentlemen," the President said in a calm and deliberate voice as she took a step closer. "I'm only going to say this once. Captain Adama and... what is your name?"

"Lt. Agathon."

"He used to be Sharons ECO," Lee told the President, not taking his eyes off the Sharon copy. "I thought you were dead, Helo. You a Cylon, too?"

"Dont even-"

"All right!" President Roslin warned sharply, cutting him off. "Here's what were gonna do. You're going to lower your weapons. Am I perfectly clear?"

"What about Sharon?" Helo asked, the concern in his voice as shocking to Lee as the Cylons very presence here on the Astral Queen.

"She will be taken to a holding cell, where she will remain unharmed," the President stated firmly.

"Okay," Helo agreed. "How about it Apollo? Should we do what the nice lady says?"

"She's the President of the Colonies, you moron," Lee drawled, feeling his racing heart begin to decelerate slightly. They would get this sorted out and the Cylon would no doubt be destroyed. "And yes, we're gonna do exactly what she says."

"Lower your weapons now," she ordered, watching them with an amazingly calm expression. As if she dealt with officers pulling their weapons on each other all the time. Which lately. . . she did.

Lee felt Helo pull the weapon away and step back, and Lee lowered his own weapon. Out of the corner of his eye he saw several of the Astral Queen security lowering the weapons that had been pointed at the Sharon Cylon.

"Thank you," President Roslin said as several of the security officers hurried forward to take control of Sharon. "Now put that thing out the airlock," she added harshly, stepping back away from the suddenly struggling forms.

"What?" Helo gasped, struggling as one of the security officers pulled him away from the Cylon.

"We don't keep Cylons around here, lieutenant," the President informed him with a scathing look.

"What the frak? You said you weren't gonna hurt her!"

"No!" the Sharon copy screamed as the guards held on to her tightly, beginning to move her down the corridor.

"Hey!" Lee yelled, grabbing Helo's arm and keeping him from interfering. He had to make him understand. The man couldn't realize what he was dealing with. "Helo! Listen to me! One of those things put two rounds into my father's chest!"

Helo looked shocked and horrified, but he couldn't keep his eyes off the Sharon copy as she was laboriously dragged away, fighting for all she was worth.

"It wasn't me!" she screamed, not once giving up the fight for her life.

"Adama was shot?" Kara asked, her eyes wide and horror and fear.

"Yes," Lee said directly to Helo, not taking his own eyes off of the man whose shirt he was still holding onto. "You missed a few catastrophes while you were away."

"Please tell me he's alive," Kara said, stepping into his view and looking as though she might cry at any moment.

"Yes. After two emergency surgeries Cottle managed to save him," Lee informed her harshly, his jaw clenching as the Cylon kept yelling that it hadn't been her who had done it. As it there was any difference in the copies.

"Kara, for the love of the gods!" Helo begged, his own face looking as if he would break down at any moment. He'd stopped tying to get away and his gaze bounced back and forth from Lee to Kara.

"Wait! Listen!" the Cylon yelled as they neared the end of the corridor. She was struggling so hard that the three security officers were having a hard time keeping her contained and moving in the right direction.

"Sharon-this Sharon-saved our lives back on Caprica. Tell them!" Helo shouted. "Tell them!"

Lee watched as Kara looked down at the floor, not raising her eyes and not speaking. He suspected that her mind was still focused on the fact that Adama had nearly died at the hand of the Sharon Valerii they had all known and counted as family.

"I know how to find the Tomb of Athena!" the Cylon yelled frantically. "Do you? Kobol's a big planet. You don't find the tomb, you don't find Earth!"

"Listen to her, for the gods sakes," Helo begged as the President stepped closer to them.

"Madam President," Kara said as she pulled a golden arrow out of a container that had been hanging over her shoulder. She held it up to the President.

Lee noticed that everyones eyes were on the President as she looked at and then touched the arrow held in Kara's hands. He had no idea what she planned to do, but he suspected she was wondering if there were some way she could us the Cylon's knowledge. She glanced up at Meier, who was standing just behind her. "Tell them to wait."

Meier nodded at another man, who ran down the hall after the security team and Cylon woman. "Thank you," President Roslin whispered to Starbuck, her eyes still on the arrow. "Mr. Zarek, is there someplace where that. . . young woman and I can speak?"

"I can arrange that," Zarek said with a nod. The President let go of the arrow, leaving it in Starbuck's hands and turned to follow Zarek, leaving the rest of them without so much as a glance.

Lee stepped up to Kara and looked her straight in the eye. What a frakking crazy turn of events! "It's great to see you again, Kara. Thanks for bringing in the trash." He walked away, his heart pounding with anger that he hadn't killed the Cylon when he had the chance. He suspected he'd regret that decision for a long time to come.

x

Lee couldn't stop himself from going to the Sharon copys cell. He knew that his emotions were too out of control and he was afraid he might do something he would regret. Then again, he was afraid if she were left alive, then more than just he would regret it. He couldn't give her a second chance at killing his father. Regardless of the rift between them, he just couldnt let that happen.

He walked up to find the Cylon sitting on the lower bunk, her elbows resting upon her thighs. She looked so frakking human that his stomach twisted and his heart began to sprint. She looked up at him as he stopped next to the bars, his eyes boring holes into her. Lee knew his hatred had to be reeking from his very pores.

"I know how you feel. I get it," she said in a very human, almost sulky tone, as she looked at him and shook her head. "But I didn't shoot him, okay? It wasn't me."

"You're all the same," he said bitterly, feeling his body shake at the sight of the Cylon who had almost killed his father. Pictures spun through his head of the gun in Sharon's hand and his father falling back onto the dradis table.

"You don't know what the hell youre talking about."

"Then maybe I'm done talking," he stated as he pulled out his sidearm and lifted it to point at her through the bars. A hand shot out and he was startled to find Kara next to him, using all her strength to force the gun down. Where the hell had she come from?

"I think there's been enough of that today," she told him softly, her eyes challenging his.

Lee turned to face her, angry at her interfering for yet a second time. He holstered his weapon, grabbed her arm and pulled her around a corner, out of hearing range of the cell. Despite all that had happened in the past weeks, he was still frakking pissed at her for what she'd done to his father. To him and the rest of the squadron. "You are the last one who should be telling me what to do. After the stunt you pulled, stealing the Cylon Raider and then tearing ass back to Caprica?"

She glared back at him, her own anger ready to bubble over at his words. "Yeah, because you're clearly the poster boy for military discipline, huh? You know what? You have no idea what happened to me on Caprica. So while youre standing here polishing off your halo consider for a second that you may not have any damned idea what the hell youre talking about." She looked him up and down with clear disdain. "Captain."

As he watched her hobble away, her gait unsteady from some injury she had recently obtained, he realized that something major and probably very traumatic had happened to her on Caprica. His friend was changed, and not in a good way. Granted, she had kept her temper when only weeks ago she would have been shouting at him or even punching him out, but it was as if no emotion escaped her iron control. She wasn't going to let anything out, and she wasn't going to let anyone in.

His anger toward the Cylon faded as his concern for Kara grew. He gave her a few minutes and then followed in the direction she had gone. He finally found her in an old locker room with rows of benches separated by a chain link sort of barrier that came just below his shoulders. She was sitting on the hard metal floor and was bouncing a Pyramid ball off the far wall.

"I was wondering when we'd finally get a little R and R around here," Lee quipped, deciding to be upbeat and see if he couldn't get her to open up to him. He grabbed the ball as it bounced off the wall on its way back to her. He gently bounced the ball off of her forehead as she looked up and backwards at him. He stepped back and moved a few feet away to lay down on one of the hard, wooden benches.

"Can I have my ball back?" she asked calmly, in a very un-Starbuck tone.

"What. . . I can't hold hit? Lee asked, tossing it into the air and catching it again. It brought to mind memories of them playing pyramid during the academy. Kara was a dynamite player and could have easily gone pro.

"Can I have my ball back, _please_?" she asked again in an ever so polite tone that didnt quite hide her frustration.

"Where'd you get a Pyramid ball, anyway?" he asked, looking at the ball with a tiny frown. It was such an unlikely thing for her to be carrying around. It had to have some sort of meaning for her.

"Caprica." She rose and walked over to him, her hand held out. "Can I have it back, Lee?"

He sat up and grinned at her, unable to entirely read her mood but hoping to shake her out of it. "Yeah, sure." He teased her with the ball, tossing it over her outstretched hand or behind his back, hoping to get a spark of real emotion out of her.

"Lee," she almost begged, her voice soft and sad, her face unsmiling. He chuckled as he tossed it from side to side, just out of her reach. "Keep it," she snarled and turned abruptly away, returning to the far side of the room and sitting on a bench with her back toward him.

"Hey, come on, Kara. For fraks sake, I'm just kidding around," he told her as he walked over to her and dropped the ball into her lap from over the chain barrier behind her back. "All right, here. It's all yours. You can take your ball and go home now."

"Ha ha ha ha," she said sarcastically, not so much as looking at him. "The whole thing's stupid anyway." She began bouncing the ball against the wall once more.

Lee frowned at her complete lack of emotional response and realized that he was only making things worse for her. She was lost somewhere deep inside of herself, and his joking around was only making her burrow deeper still. He dropped down on the bench behind hers and sat with his back pressed lightly to hers through the chain links.

"What's up with you, Kara? Anything you want to talk about?" he asked, hoping she would open up to him. He was not good at this kind of thing, but he could plainly see she was suffering.

"Nope." She bounced the ball against the wall again.

"Hmph. Must have been hard. . . being back on Caprica. Seeing home. Probably saw some tough things back there," he mused, realizing that it would be hell for him to go back and see his past, knowing that so many were dead. "Anyway, tomorrow this whole thing's gonna end, one way or another. We find the tomb or we don't. We find a way to Earth or we don't. I just want you to know, Kara, that I'm your friend. I love you. If there's anything you want to talk about. . . anything you want to get off your chest. . . then I'm here for you."

She bounced the ball again and he wasn't sure he was getting through to her at all. Lee wished for the millionth time that Athena was here to help him out with this. He'd thought that same thought so many times during the past few weeks. But if anyone could, Athena would be able to get Kara to open up and talk. He stood up and began to walk away. "Anyway, whenever you want to talk, just let me know."

"What was that middle part again?" she asked suddenly.

Lee stopped and turned around, trying to figure out what she meant by middle part. "Hmm? What do you mean?"

Kara stood up and stepped up onto the bench, leaning on the barrier and looking at him with what he recognized as her wicked smile. Her mischievous look. "Did you say you love me?"

Well, frak! Lee laughed uncomfortably. He did say that, but he had meant that he loved her as a friend. A sister. He certainly wasnt _in love_ with her. "Well. . ."

"Lee Adama loves me," she said simply. "Does AJ know about this? I don't want her to kick my ass."

"No, no! All I meant was-" he protested, only to have her cut him off.

"No, seriously. . . very sweet. You love me. Are we gonna be a threesome?" she asked impertinently, her grin taunting him.

He turned and walked away, shaking his head as he went. Well, he'd certainly gotten her out of her blue mood. . . at his expense. This was the Kara Thrace he knew and loved. His best friend through the years.

"No, you love me. You can't take it back. There's no take-backs," she informed him playfully, her expression letting him know that she was fully aware of his discomfort. She was a master at twisting the knife, even if it was playfully.

"You're dreaming it, Kara," he told her as he continued to walk away. He had to get out while the getting was good. While he still had some dignity left.

"You love me!"

"Youre dreaming it!"

"You love me," she called out one final time as he turned the corner.

"Dreamer!" he called back to her, glad to be getting away with his hide intact. He had definitely succeeded in his goal, but she was never going to let him live down those three tiny words. He only hoped Athena thought it was funny and understood the context. Thank the gods she had a good sense of humor and a level head. Athena would know what he'd meant.


	19. Chapter 19

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Warning: Sexual Content at end of chapter.

Chapter Nineteen

Reunited

DAY 62

Thunder rolled, lightening cracked across the sky, and rain fell in wave after wave of water. This was what they encountered as they landed the shuttle in Galleon Meadow, their starting off point for the Tomb of Athena. Lee felt the cold dampness down to his bones, and wished yet again that he were back on the Galactica with Athena. At this point in time, he was more interested in his _own_ Athena than the one for whose tomb they were searching.

He brought out an extra sidearm and looked thoughtfully at Tom Zarek. He still didn't trust the man in the slightest, but he was loath to let anyone travel on a hostile planet unarmed. Lee hoped he wouldn't regret his generosity.

"Here," he said, stepping over to the older man and holding out the weapon. Zarek and his man, Meier, looked from Lee to the gun and back again, their faces showing their surprise. "You never know when you might need to defend yourself."

"Here we go," Elosha stated simply, opening and paging through the scriptures she always carried. Lee tuned her out as she read, spending his time checking out the area in which they had landed. They were on the edge of a good-sized meadow with tree line to one side and mountains rising high on both sides. The weather made everything look dark and gray, and he hoped someone knew where they were headed, even if it was only the Cylon Sharon.

Lee, along with almost everyone else, turned and looked at the Cylon woman as she began quoting the scripture Elosha had just begun to read. Her knowledge of the scriptures certainly put the people who supposedly worshiped the gods to shame.

". . . the rocky ridge that led to the tomb," Sharon quoted, looking around until her gaze obviously came to rest on a distant mountain with an obvious ridge and what looked to be a rough road.

President Roslin took a deep breath, her face haggard before they had even begun what would no doubt be a brutal trek. "Let's move."

Helo and three security officers from the Astral Queen led the way, with Lee and Kara following closely behind Sharon, and Meier and Zarek at the rear with Elosha and the President. There was an old trail of some sort, and the walking was easier than Lee had expected. It wasnt long before he heard Elosha call out that there should be graves along the road if they were on the right path and stopped, along with the rest of the party. Elosha looked around and then curiously strode off the path to what looked to be a small headstone.

Before Lee could speak up and warn her to keep on the trail, the priest had set off a land mine, which flew into the air before exploding and sending shrapnel all around. The explosion threw the woman headfirst into a tree and Lee took a step in her direction, intending on helping her, if possible. But before he even made the second step, Cylons attacked from the ridge above.

Lee and Kara dove against the ridge wall and he looked frantically back at the President, relieved to see both Zarek and Meier sheltering her and pulling her off to a safer location. Knowing she was taken care of freed him to fight, which he and Kara did, shooting up the ridge wall.

"Sharon! Take cover!" Helo yelled, and Lee observed the Cylon woman standing where she had been when the shooting started, looking around at the mountainside above them as if she were completely unafraid of being shot and Lee wondered, not for the first time, if they had been set up by the Cylon woman.

Lee moved to a better position where he could hopefully see a Cylon to target and was grateful to see Kara following along behind him. After wasting way too many rounds, Lee finally managed a head shot which destroyed one of the Centurions above them.

"Oh, frak!" he swore as he saw Sharon begin to run away toward the spot where the point man had apparently been ambushed. Praying he would not get shot, he took off in a run after her, determined not to let the Cylon woman get away. Like it or not, he was pretty damn sure they needed her.

"Lee, no!" Kara yelled, stepping back and firing at the Cylons above to provide cover for him as he ran.

Lee ran for all he was worth and only caught Sharon when she stopped and leaned over to pick up the rifle that shot explosive rounds off of the dead security officers body. Despite his efforts to stop her, and even despite her bound arms, she overpowered him and tossed him backward like he was weightless. He tasted a moment of death as she aimed the weapon at him before lifting the barrel until it was sighted over his head.

She took aim and pulled the trigger in an instant, destroying the Centurions that still had the rest of their party pinned down. With a disdainful look she tossed the weapon down beside him and simply stood over him. Her very body language telling him that if she'd wanted him dead, he'd have been dead.

"You've got to be frakking kidding me," Lee muttered, picking up the discarded rifle and rising to his feet. The Cylon woman had saved their asses when she could have easily escaped them. She'd let him live when she easily could have killed him. The rest of the group walked up and simply stood looking at Sharon, apparently none of them quite knowing what to think about the course of events that had just occurred.

"We better get moving," she said, looking around as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. "There may be other Centurions around."

xxxxx

Athena received a call over the speaker system to report to Commander Adamas quarters immediately. It had been a hell of a week. The old man was foul tempered and his bad attitude had trickled down to every member of the CIC. Morale was at an all-time low and it was all Athena could do to keep her pilots focused on the job at hand. They were stretched to the limit and felt the loss of both Lee and Starbuck keenly.

She left her work in the Ready Room and double-timed it half way across the ship. In the military the word immediately meant move your ass and don't delay, so she jogged as fast as her injuries allowed her. It would be several weeks yet until she was up for her routine morning jog and honestly, now that Kara was gone, Athena had no interest in doing it at all. She'd enjoyed the companionship as much or more than the exercise.

"Captain Darr, reporting," she panted as she stepped into the Commanders quarters. To her surprise he was sitting at a worktable, a model ship that he obviously had been painting sitting in front of him. He was in the process of clearing away the mess when she had entered and she looked at him with a frown. He had expected to find Colonel Tigh there as well, and some sort of emergency at hand.

"Pour yourself a drink," he said without looking up at her as he cleaned his paintbrush.

"I don't drink. I've told you that several times," she snapped irritably. She had a stitch in her side and was covered in a fine sweat, and he frakking wanted someone to drink with!

"There's coffee on the side table," he stated softly, nodding toward a thermal jug next to the whiskey.

Athena frowned again, completely at a loss as to what was going on. However, he was the Commander and she was but a Captain so she poured herself a cup of black, steaming coffee and sat down on the couch. His face was expressionless, but his forehead was lined in one of his perpetual frowns. He was obviously either angry or very upset about something. Please gods, don't let something bad have happened to Lee, she thought in sudden panic. But he was too calm and emotionless for something that severe.

"What's going on, Bill?" she asked softly, taking a sip of the strong coffee before setting the cup on a file that lay upon the table in front of her. The coffee was good, but she was in no mood for it.

"I have been told that _I_ have let my crew, as well as the entire fleet, down. I made a promise _I _didn't keep. And it is _I_ who has divided the fleet," he informed her in a gravely monotone, finally moving to pour himself a drink of the whisky before sitting down next to her. He stared at his drink for a long moment and then gulped half of it down. "You told me the same thing, in kinder words, but I didn't hear you. I have been eaten up with rage toward Lee, toward Starbuck, and toward Laura Roslin, whom I felt caused it all. But I have come to realize that it was my original lie to the crew-to the fleet-about Earth that brought this all about."

They sat in silence as Athena waited for him to say something else, and then she sighed at his revelation. She wasn't sure who had spoken to him so bluntly, but whoever it was had severely shaken him up. Athena took another drink of coffee as he sat silently, staring at his glass once more, swirling the amber liquid around and around. When it was obvious to her that he was awaiting her comment, she took a deep breath before plunging into the deep end.

"Commander, I have just one question for you. What are your hopes for your crew. . . for the fleet. . . ten years from now? What do you hope to see for us all?" she asked softly, trying to cut to the heart of the matter. "What do you hope for yourself?"

His frown deepened and he tossed down the rest of his drink in one gulp. "I want. . . peace. No war." He looked up directly at her for the first time. "I want my grandchildren playing at my feet. I want people to be writing books and music, and creating works of art. I want a place where we can be free of fear."

"You want Earth," she mused thoughtfully.

"Yes."

"Do you know where Earth is?" she asked bluntly, voicing the question she was hearing all over the ship. The gossip mill was saying that the Commander had lied to them about Earth, but it had just seemed so unlikely.

"No, I do not."

"I see," she whispered, finally understanding what had moved Kara to so openly turn from Commander Adama, the man she loved as a father, and commit mutiny in favor of President Roslin. Why Lee was willing to risk his entire career, as well as his life, by aiding the President in her quest. They both wanted Earth and had come to realize that Laura Roslin was the best chance they had of finding a home. "Well then, if there is even the slightest chance that Laura Roslin can get us a map, isn't it worth the risk? She, and Kara, and Lee, and thousands of others are willing to sacrifice _everything_ for that chance. Can't we do the same? Bill if you truly want the things you just said, then you need to reunite the fleet. Forget the past and look to the future!"

"How can I forget their betrayal!" he asked bitterly, shaking his head at the thought of giving in.

"Frak betrayal!" she spat at him, reaching over and taking his empty glass out of his hand and setting it on the table beside her coffee mug. By the gods, he was going to listen to her and hear her words! She squeezed his hand fiercely. "How dare you expect some unrealistic picture of perfection in your son and Kara when you are so far away from perfect yourself! Let it go, Bill! Though you didn't mean to, and your intentions were no doubt good, you betrayed your entire crew because of a lie you told. You are _far_ from perfect yourself and yet they still love you! This crew will follow you to hell but wouldn't you rather lead them to Earth? Bring your son home for me, and for you, as well. Let's start on a new path together. And don't you think that even a tiny chance of finding Earth is better than what we have now?"

"Forgiveness on all sides?" he asked, removing his glassed and massaging the bridge of his nose with his free hand. She held on tightly to his other hand, not letting him pull away and sever the small physical contact between them.

"Yes!" she agreed vehemently, leaning closer to his as she spoke. "Amnesty for everyone and let us begin anew. Give Lee and I a chance to give you those grandchildren! Give your crew a chance at a life of peace. Give Laura a chance to find meaning in her end days. Only you can heal this particular breech, Bill. Only you."

He clenched her hand tightly, as though she was an anchor in unsettled waters. He looked up at her and leaned slightly toward her. "Do you love my son?"

"With all my heart."

"Do you forgive him?"

"There's nothing to forgive. I admire him even more for having the courage and strength to follow his heart though it cost him everything he loves," Athena told him with a gentle smile. Oh, she had been seriously angry with Lee for several days because he had not been there for her after losing the baby, but she had known what kind of man he was when she had fallen in love with him. How could he ask others to sacrifice, if he were unwilling to make sacrifices of his own.

"I don't know if you heard me say this to Saul, but you are most certainly a woman worthy of the Adama name," he told he sincerely, and she knew she had been given the greatest compliment he could offer. He gave her hand another squeeze and then gently pulled away. He put his glasses back on and looked at her with the tiniest of smiles curving his lips. "Come with me to the CIC."

They silently walked through the corridors side by side, and entered the top level of the CIC. This was not a part of the CIC that she normally visited and discovered that there was a great view of the entire room from this top most vantage point. As she looked down she saw Colonel Tigh and Lt. Gaeta working together at a planning table. The Commander looked at her and nodded.

"Mr. Gaeta," he called out loudly, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "I want to see all recon material on Kobol immediately in my quarters."

"Aye, sir," the lieutenant responded carefully, his eyes flickering to Athena as she stood beside the Commander.

"Kobol?" the XO challenged shortly, his one word question a demand for more information.

"Yes. I'm putting the fleet back together. I'm putting our family back together. This ends now," the Commander stated adamantly, his voice loud and determined.

Athena shifted her weight slightly so that her arm brushed his in a discrete show of support. She watched the Commander as his eyes lit on D, the Communications Officer who dealt most frequently with the pilots. He smiled lightly at the young woman and gave her a nod, and suddenly Athena realized who had spoken the words that had made the Commander stop and think about his actions. D smiled tremulously, tears glittering in her beautiful eyes.

The Commander turned to look at Athena again. "Captain. Get me Chief Tyrol and meet me back at my quarters to come up with a plan. It's time to bring our people home."

"It'd be my pleasure, sir."

x

"Galen, I need you now," Athena said firmly, interrupting him in a conversation with a rookie mechanic. She headed for his office and waited for him to complete his business and join her there. They hadn't had many opportunities to talk since they'd come back from Kobol. At first he'd been in the brig with Sharon, under investigation to determine if he was a Cylon. Athena had told everyone who would listen that she was 100% certain he was no Cylon, not that anyone had listened. And she'd been shocked beyond belief to hear about Sharon's death at Cally's hand, knowing that the Chief would be devastated.

She had held him in his office not even a week before as he'd cried silent tears, Sharon's blood still on his hands.

"I'm so frakking sorry for everything!" he'd spat out bitterly, pulling away from her and pacing the floor in agitation. " I'm sorry that I pushed my suspicions aside, didn't say anything, and the old man got shot! I'm sorry as hell that Cally did what she did. I don't know if she did it for the Commander or for me, but it sucks that she's in hack for doing what everyone else wanted to do, too! And most of all, I'm sorry because deep inside I still love Sharon. I _know_ she was a Cylon and that doesn't change the fact that I still love her. I'm a frakking idiot!"

And then he'd straightened up and looked at her through red, damp eyes, telling her that what was done was done and couldn't be changed.

"What's the crisis now?" he asked Athena as he met her in the office.

"We're reuniting the fleet," she told him in a whisper. "We're going back to Kobol. The Commander wants us in his quarters ASAP to begin planning. We're the only ones who have spent any time there to speak of."

"Frakking planet," he muttered, reaching out and placing a supportive hand on her elbow. "Are you physically up to it?"

"I don't know. I just don't know," she murmured as he pulled out his log book and looked at her. With a nod of understanding he waved for her to lead the way. "I guess we'll find out."

x

Athena sat back, mostly watching and listening as the Commander, Colonel Tigh, Lt. Gaeta, Galen and she planned what their next step should be. Galen poured over the landmaps, marking the areas they had explored during their unsuccessful ground survey. Colonel Tigh and Lt. Gaeta added tidbits here and there, but having never been to the planet, didn't have much of significance to offer. The Commander read through a beautiful, leather bound book of the scriptures, marking passages and letting the rest of them work without him.

"She could be anywhere," the Commander stated gruffly, laying the scriptures down in his lap.

Lt. Gaeta nodded thoughtfully and stared at the map for a moment before looking back up at the Commander. "If we only use information contained within the book of Pythia, which makes sense given the President's identification with that particular gospel, then the Tomb of Athena is most likely located somewhere in the mountains to the west of the City of the Gods."

"Let's assume she starts at the most easily recognizable landmark, which is the Opera House," the Commander suggested, tapping a pencil on the location of the ruins. "They'd be setting down somewhere right here in this meadow and then heading west."

"Raptor One went down right about here. . . just outside the ruins of the city," the Chief offered, pointing to a red X marked upon the map and glancing up at Athena. "Now, we never made it past, say, here. But we visually scouted the approaches to the mountains."

"It's extremely rough territory, sir," Athena offered, wanting them to know that the task ahead of them would be far from easy.

"On the positive side," Lt. Gaeta stated with a slight smile, "the last rescue team reported no sign of a Cylon BaseStar or Raider anywhere near Kobol."

"We'll set the jump arrival coordinates in the upper atmosphere. . . just in case," the Commander informed them.

"Sir. . . thats risky and its certainly not possible with a ship of this size," the lieutenant protested, frowning deeply at the Commanders previous words.

"I'll be going down in a Raptor," the Commander explained, looking at each of them in turn, his eyes stopping to rest on Athena.

Athena felt her heart race at the idea of another Raptor trip down onto the planet. The last one hadn't gone so well for her. She knew that with only Galen and herself having any experience on the planet, the odds of success increased with both of them participating in the landing party. But gods! She didn't want to go back! Kobol held nothing but bad memories for her now.

"Then send a search party, for fraks sake!" the XO protested hotly, his concern for the Commander apparent. They all knew that he was still far from recovered and was still weak from his healing injuries.

The Commander opened the scriptures that had been sitting in his lap and read to the rest of the group. "And Zeus warned the leaders of the Twelve Tribes that any return to Kobol would exact a price in blood."

"It certainly did for us," Galen agreed, looking over at Athena with concern etched across his face. They had lost Socinus and Tarn to the planet, as well as Crashdown.

"No more bloodshed. Enough loss," the Commander stated firmly, his eyes also on Athena. After a long, intense look at her, Athena realized that he was thinking of her and the loss of her baby. His grandchild. "I'm only gonna take the people who are absolutely necessary, and don't try to argue with me, Saul. Truth is, I'm the only one who can reach out to Roslin. It's always been between us, anyway. We many have gone down separately, but we're gonna come back together. Hopefully on our feet, but even if its in body bags, we're gonna be coming back together."

"Sir," Athena began hesitantly, knowing she had to go back. As much as she hated the idea, she had to face her demons. "I would like to-"

"No," he cut in sharply, stopping her words before she could express them. "You're not up to it physically. And if the worst should happen, I need both you and Saul here to run this ship. If I die, all of you are effectively promoted one step up."

"Don't joke about this!" Athena spat angrily, not wanting any promotion that would come because of his death.

"Who's joking? Let's take a break," the Commander suggested, obviously noting the tension of the people in the room. The people he knew best on his ship. "We'll meet back here in thirty minutes. Saul, AJ. . . stay a minute." The lieutenant and Chief glanced at one another, realizing theyd been dismissed, and walked out of the room together without a word.

When the others were gone the Commander signaled for Athena to sit in one of the chairs at the table. She had been standing on one side of the group, leaning on a table but not sitting. She had been too nervous to sit, and liked having the ability to pace when necessary. But she obeyed the Commanders silent command and sat down next to the XO.

"Saul, nothing you can say will keep me from this journey. Only I can do whats needed to heal the breech and bring the fleet back together," the old man explained, taking in the look of concern on his friends face. "You will be responsible for the fleet until I return. AJ, the squadron is under your command. I am counting on the two of you-together-to run my ship and keep it safe until I return. Lean on each other, and use each others talents to do what has to be done. Saul, I value Captain Darr's judgment and her people skills. Use her. Athena, our XO has more combat and battle experience than any other twenty people on this ship put together. Trust him. Together, I believe that the two of you can handle anything that might happen while I'm gone."

"And how long do you expect to be gone?" the XO asked tightly, his dark eyes burning into the Commander.

"As long as it takes. I will not come back without my son," he answered, looking at Athena as if to give her a private message. He would either come back with Lee or he wouldn't be coming back at all.

The thought was no comfort at all to Athena.

xxxxx

Lee had never been so wet and miserable in his life. They were making slow but steady progress up the mountain, however the rain was not making things easy for anyone. The President walked just in front of Lee, Elosha's blood spattered book of scriptures clasped firmly within her hands. Every so often President Roslin would stop in her tracks and read a few of the verses, as if to bolster her strength and spirits. The rest of the group walked in a long, staggered line with Sharon and Helo in the front and Zarek and Meier bringing up the rear.

He and Kara had unofficially declared a truce and she was just about the only person he had to talk to. And, even so, the topics on which they spoke were mostly conversational and had no depth. She was holding her experiences on Caprica close to her chest, and he found he was equally unable to talk about the loss of his and Athena's baby and his constant dreams, or rather, nightmares. The President was wrapped up in her own private world, her grief over Elosha almost tangible, and spoke only when first spoken to. Helo and Sharon were an odd twosome that was beyond his understanding, and he had no comprehension how the man could so completely disregard the fact that the woman he loved was a _Cylon_. Zarek and Meier were another odd twosome, and Lee had quickly determined to keep an eye on both of the men, neither of whom he trusted for a moment.

After a short rest Lee joined the Cylon, Sharon, who was peering off into the distance through binoculars. Lee pulled out his own glasses from his pack and moved to stand beside her. "What do you see?"

"Eleven o'clock. Twenty degrees elevation. There's a formation of twin rocks up ahead," she confidently directed him.

He moved his glasses as per her directions and located the rocks she had mentioned. "Yeah, I got it."

"I think those are the Gates of Hera."

"You think?" Starbuck asked, stepping up behind Lee. He glanced back and saw that Helo, the President, Zarek and Meier had also stepped close enough to listen in.

Sharon shot Starbuck a look that bespoke of strained patience. "I'm putting together a lot of pieces from a lot of sources beyond your scriptures. If I'm right, that's the spot where your gods supposedly stood and watched Athena throw herself down onto the rocks below out of despair over the exodus of the thirteen tribes."

"Supposedly?" Zarek asked dryly, his eyes boring curiously into Sharon. "I thought the Cylons believed in the gods."

"Yeah," Starbuck drawled, pulling out a pair of binoculars and searching the terrain in front of them. "Don't get her started. They believe in one true god or something like that."

"And we don't worship false idols," Sharon stated, putting in a dig of her own in a very human-like manner.

"You were quick enough to come on this mission," Lee informed her pointedly. "To lead us all to some tomb only actually mentioned in our _false_ scriptures."

Sharon glared at Lee, as if angered at his continued distrust and disbelief. "We know more about your religion than you do. Athena's tomb, whoever or whatever she really was, is probably up there." Lee shook his head and walked back to the Presidents side with Kara following closely behind him. "That part is true," the Cylon added.

"Madam President," Kara said with a shake of her head as she stared off into the distance. "We won't make it up there before nightfall."

"Well then. . . let's go and see how far we get," the President suggested, closing her book of scriptures and leading the way further up the mountain.

DAY 63

Lee woke up from his first dreamless night in a long time. He figured he had probably been just too damned tired to dream at all, much less expend energy on nightmares. He left Kara in her sleeping bag beneath the lean-to they had shared, and walked over to where the President sat reading quietly. He sat down next to her, his back leaning against the cold, hard rock wall and simply looked at the woman he had come to know so well. Her hair was stringy and wild, and her skin was much too pale. But, hell, he figured he didn't look much better himself. He hadn't shaved in over a week and it had been well over three days since his last shower. He had to smile to himself as he imagined what Athena would have to say about his condition if she were to see him.

"It's nice to see you smile for a change," the President said softly, her eyes catching his. "There haven't been very many happy thoughts for some time now. Care to share?"

"I was just imagining what Athena would say if she could see me. . . and smell me. . . now," he confided with another smile. "These clothes have seen better days and I don't think even a laundry will help them now."

"We are a sight, aren't we?" she agreed with a soft smile of her own. "You miss her. Athena."

"Gods yes!" he admitted with a sigh of longing. "I hated having to leave her when she was in such bad shape; just out of surgery. I hate the thought that she needed me and I wasn't there for her."

"I'm so sorry, Captain," she whispered, her eyes growing misty with unshed tears. She too, knew the pain of making choices that cost people other than herself dearly. "For so many things."

"Don't be. I made my own choices," he stated firmly, knowing that she had enough burdens of her own and didnt need to be carrying any of his on top of that. "Athena understood. Its just-"

The sound of startled birds moving to flight halted his words and he quickly rose to his feet, his finger pressed to his lips in warning to the President. Something had alarmed them. . . something out of place. "Psst! Starbuck!" he hissed quietly in his friends direction.

She rolled up and out of her sleeping bag, weapon in hand, and looked at him in question. He pointed in the direction of the noise and then put his attention back to the forest area surrounding them. He heard her alert Helo and knew that both of them were taking defensive positions behind him. With a deep breath to steady himself, he pointed his weapon and moved out from behind the cover of the tree that both protected him and blocked his vision, and found himself facing the barrel of an assault rifle held by his father.

Lee's heart raced and he forgot to breathe as he simply stood and looked at his father. At first glance, he appeared much the same as always-steady and strong. But as Lee stared in shock, he began to see that his father was not completely recovered from the attack. His normally ruddy face was much paler than usual and he appeared to have lost more than a few pounds.

"Put down your weapon, Captain," his father said quietly, his voice sounding as strong and authoritative as ever.

Lee looked at his pointed weapon, his shock so deep that he hadn't even realized he still held his sidearm pointed directly at his own father. He let the weapon down slowly and holstered it with a shaking hand. His father's eyes never left his for a moment and Lee suddenly felt like a chastised child who had been discovered somewhere he wasn't supposed to be. Despite his best intentions, Lee felt his eyes flicker to the ground. . . unable to hold his fathers gaze. He knew he had let the old man down in so many ways.

He steeled his spine and looked back up again, needing to see once more that it was truly his father standing before him. The Commander lowered his own rifle and stepped forward, pulling Lee into his arms and encasing him in a hug so tight it took Lee's breath away. Lee automatically hugged him back, feeling hot tears fill his eyes as they stood together.

"Thank the gods," he breathed as he pressed his face against his father's sturdy shoulder, not caring what had gone on between them in the past. It was over. Done. He was simply glad to see his father alive and standing before him.

"Athena is fine and sends her love," the Commander whispered in Lee's ear, and Lee couldn't help but grin. After several long moments the old man stepped back slightly, keeping one arm around Lee's shoulders, as if unwilling to let him go. He was every inch the Commander again as he looked at President Roslin who no stood only a few feet away.

"Commander," she greeted him smoothly, smiling slightly at him.

"It's good to see you," the Commander responded, grinning at her in a way Lee had never before seen. It was as if his father was a different man and had changed somehow.

Two more people stepped forward from behind his father, and Lee was surprised to see Chief Tyrol and Billy come into view.

"Madam President," Billy said softly, his voice filled with uncertainty.

"Billy!" she whispered, sounding both shocked and happy to see him. "Billy, you have no idea what it means to me to have you here."

"It's good to see you, too," the young man responded, his relief at her greeting almost tangible. As if he hadn't been sure of the welcome he would receive from her.

The Commander still kept his arm around Lee's shoulders, his hand firmly clenching Lee at the neck. But his gaze moved to Starbuck, who was hesitantly beginning to close the gap between them. The Commander let go of Lee and quickly bridged the few steps that separated them. He reached out and pushed a lock of hair out of Kara's eyes, his face gentling at the sight of the young woman he considered a daughter. Lee saw Helo step out from cover and realized that there was something vitally important he needed to tell his father-before he saw whom their guide was.

"Oh, my gods," Tyrol gasped with his gaze locked somewhere behind him, and Lee knew that Sharon had been spotted. Tyrol pointed his rifle at the Cylon woman and Lee saw the shock in his father's face as he turned and discovered what had upset the Chief.

"She's with us, Commander," Helo told the Commander, nervously watching the older man.

Commander Adama walked purposefully up to the woman who looked exactly like the Sharon they had all known on Galactica, looking her up and down as if searching for differences. Sharon looked back at him nervously, but held her ground in silence. Without warning, the Commander grabbed the Cylon by the throat and threw her to the ground, holding her there with the entire length of his body stretched out upon hers. Face to face, his hand squeezing firmly around her throat, he glared at her.

"I want you to die!

"Get off her!" Helo yelled, jumping forward to protect the Cylon. Lee intervened, grabbing his father's rifle and holding the rest of his group off and away from the pair on the ground. He was done fighting with his father. For better or worse, he would be the one his father could count on for support.

"Commander!" the President shouted, urgency in her tone. "Commander. Please don't. We need her."

"Die," the old man hissed, choking the woman who simply lay beneath him, making no attempt to defend herself.

"Sir!" Helo yelled again in desperation, his face showing his turmoil at the course of events.

Suddenly the Commander let go of Sharon's throat and grasped his own chest, rolling off her in obvious pain. Lee realized that his father was not as fully recovered as his appearance suggested and dropped to the ground to help him. He pulled the old man into his lap and held him tightly as his father panted and held his injured chest.

"Dad?" Lee said urgently, with that one word almost begging his father to be all right. He couldn't bear the thought of losing the old man again.

"And you ask why?" Sharon stated cryptically, rolling away and trying to regain her breath. She coughed hoarsely as Helo helped her up and moved her out of the Commander's line of vision.

Lee held his father until the Commander was over his bout of pain, and then helped him to the President's shelter. The old man smiled calmly at Lee and asked to speak with the President alone. Though he hated to leave his father's side even for a moment, Lee agreed and stepped away. Close enough to hear the sound of their voices, but far enough away that their words were not recognizable.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Starbuck asked from where sat down next to Lee in the shelter where theyd slept the night before. Lee looked over to where his father and the President sat talking quietly. He noticed that they were both smiling and felt a surge of relief and hope.

"Who the hell cares as long as they bring the fleet back together so I can get back to Athena," he responded without thinking, and then looked away in embarrassment as Kara gave him a quizzing look.

"Athena? What happened to AJ?" she asked sharply, frowning at him in confusion.

"Uh. . . AJ is Athena. To me, anyway," Lee explained simply, having forgotten to guard his words and using Athena's private name. He was in for it now. There was no way Kara would let the knowledge go, and it was now pretty much a certainty that the entire fleet would know the name Athena had hoped to keep private. Oh well, the damage was done. "I miss her. She got shot up pretty badly on the survey trip to this frakking planet, and I hated like hell to leave her."

"Apollo and Athena. Oh, the irony. . ." Kara teased lightly and then looked over at him intently. "You know, the Lee I used to know never let anyone close. Even if I hadn't liked _Athena_ before, I'd like her now for bringing that trait to a halt in you."

He shrugged lightly, acknowledging that Athena had most certainly changed him. He liked to think he was a better person now and less rigid than he'd been before. "You're a bit different these days, yourself," he commented, realizing that there was something very different about her. "What's up with you?"

"I. . . met someone on Caprica," she admitted hesitantly, her eyes not meeting his. "Anders. He's a part of the Resistance there and helped me on my mission. But I. . . I had to leave him behind."

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, sighing heavily at the thought of Kara losing yet another person she had loved. He could only imagine how bad it would be to find someone in times like these, only to lose them again so quickly. He knew he had been beyond lucky in finding Athena and developing a relationship together.

x

Now that the weather had changed from rain to something much nicer, traveling became a lot easier. Sharon led the way with Helo on her heels, followed by his father and President Roslin. Lee kept close behind them, wanting to be sure his father was up to the arduous hike, and feeling the need to be close enough to continue protecting the President. Despite the increase in the number of military personnel in their party, he still felt that his main responsibility was her safety.

The Commander glanced at him over a shoulder and then slowed down until he was walking side by side with Lee. Starbuck gave Lee a little look and backed off a few paces to give them privacy.

"Sir. . ." Lee began, deciding to get right down to it and do whatever he had to in order to get back into the old mans good graces. "I'm sorry I-"

"No apologies," his father cut his off abruptly, waving his free hand in a motion that made it clear that his father didnt want to hear any such words. "We all screwed up and stopped communicating. We all. . . you, me, the President. . . acted rashly and without proper forethought. It's in the past and it's time to forgive and forget on all sides. We put it aside and move on from here. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Lee replied with a relieved grin. He hadn't looked forward to eating crow, though he had been willing enough to do it to make things right between himself and his father. He reached out and held his father's elbow for a moment as they walked, wanting to be sure he had his father's entire attention. "How is Athena? I've been worried beyond belief."

"She's doing well now. She. . ." his father hesitated slightly and frowned as he watched where he placed each foot upon the rough terrain, "went through a bad patch, but she's on the mend now."

"What do you mean by _bad patch_?" Lee asked in concern, feeling his pulse race at the thought of Athena being in even more danger. He'd thought she was on her way to recovering when he'd left with the President.

"She got out of bed too soon, which was entirely my fault. I wanted to get to the XO and find out what the hell was going on, and she took it upon herself to get me there. I hadn't realized that the doctor had told her she shouldn't even be sitting up yet. She. . . started bleeding again and Doc Cottle had to go in and redo a few internal stitches," he added, shaking his head as if to ward off the memory of that day. "I have to say something, so forgive me if I'm overstepping. But she took the loss of the baby pretty hard, and was well and truly pissed at you for not being there after she found out."

"Gods," Lee breathed, knowing that he had most certainly let Athena down when she had most needed him. He knew how awful it had been for him to deal with that particular loss alone, and he was sure it had to have been much worse for Athena. "She has every right to be angry with me. I tried to tell her before I left but we were interrupted. And then I ran out of time. She deserved better than that."

"Yes, she did," his father agreed simply. "However, it appears she has already forgiven you since she gave me specific instructions to bring you home safely and quickly. She's a remarkable woman, your Athena."

"That she is," Lee granted with a relieved grin. He could just see her ordering his father to behave and do whatever was necessary to get Lee home again. She was certainly outspoken and confident enough to treat the Commander in a more casual manner as she would any man who happened to be the father of her lover.

Starbuck walked up and moved into position beside Lee, leaning forward slightly to scan both of their expressions. "You two get everything worked out?" she asked pertly, as if she had nothing of her own to atone for.

"We're fine," Lee admitted with a chuckle and then looked over at his father. "Aren't we?"

"We're more than fine," the Commander added with a small grin of his own.

"You should see this," Sharon called out from up ahead of them, drawing Lee's attention back to the world around them. She stood at what looked like a mine entrance that was partially hidden by overgrown bushes.

President Roslin walked forward and pushed a few vines aside with one hand, exposing a carved rock door. She looked up at the rest of the group and smiled hugely. "I hope you have that arrow handy."

Starbuck grinned back and reached over her shoulder to pull off the holder in which she had been carrying the golden arrow. Before Lee could react, Sharon stepped back and slipped out a hidden sidearm, holding it to his father's head. Lee jerked his rifle into ready position, the barrel pointed at the Cylon's head before he noticed that Meier had his sidearm pulled and pointed at Lee's own head.

Oh, frak, Lee thought as he scanned the surrounding and found another weapon belonging to one of the Astral Queen security team pointed at the group. It was a frakking set up and he was one of the main targets.

In a move so quick it was a blur to his eyes, Sharon moved her weapon away from his father and shot Meier in the chest, and Lee instinctively shot the security officer before he could retaliate. But before he could get a bead on Sharon, she had her weapon again pointed at his father's head.

Lee's heart raced. . . not at the shooting so much as the possibility that he could lose his father when they were once again on track in their relationship. He stood with his rifle trained on the Cylon woman, his hands rock steady despite the fear pulsing through his veins, and knew that the next few seconds would be all important.

"I need you to know something," the Sharon copy said loudly, as if to ensure the entire group could hear her words. "I'm Sharon, but I'm a different Sharon. I know who I am. I don't have hidden protocols or programs lying in wait to be activated. I make my own choices. I make my own decisions, and I need you to know that _this_ is my choice." She turned the weapon around in her hand so that the butt of the sidearm was held out to the Commander. He took it from her and held it out to Chief Tyrol, who stepped forward to take the weapon.

Lee kept his weapon trained upon Sharon, but watched his father out of his peripheral vision. When the old man nodded his silent instructions, Lee lowered his rifle and took a deep breath of relief. The crisis was over. . . at least for now.

"This is one of the old Stallions," Tyrol stated with a frown as he looked over the weapon he had taken from the Commander. "Where the hell did you get this?"

"It's his," Sharon answered easily, nodding down at the prone body of Meier. The dying man moaned and Zarek knelt down beside him, placing a comforting hand upon his shoulder.

"Take it easy," Zarek said softly, his eyes sad and regretful.

"Just wanted. . . to see you get your due," Meier said raspily before letting out a final breath and dying next to the man who was probably his only friend.

"You never did listen to me," Zarek muttered softly with a sad shake of his head, and Lee realized that Meier had not acted under the authority of his leader, Tom Zarek. And, as much as he'd like to use this particular incident to bury Zarek forever, he couldn't be blamed for the actions of a friend. Even if he had agreed with them and had probably hoped theyd be successful.

Fifteen minutes later they were still examining the door, making futile attempts to get it open. Kara started at the bottom, arrow in hand, examining the door for a keyhole or something that required the arrows use to open or activate it.

"Stupid, frakking thing couldn't come with a handbook," Starbuck grumbled, more to herself than to the rest of the party who stood tensely watching. "No. Because that would just be too logical, wouldn't it?"

Lee stepped forward and began running his own hands along the cold rock surface. There were carvings that were undoubtedly both pictures and words, but none of them meant anything to him or to anyone else in the group. If Elosha had still been alive, she might have been able to decipher them, but the rest of them were all equally uneducated in the ancient writings.

"And the Arrow of Apollo will open the Tomb of Athena," President Roslin read from the scriptures, her brow furrowed as if in deep thought.

"Yeah, well," Starbuck grumbled again, sitting back to watch Lee's search for a moment, "unless anyone sees a keyhole, or whatever, then we're either in the wrong place or we're just perfectly screwed."

The Commander stepped forward, his own eyes gazing thoughtfully upon the unyielding rock surface. "Okay then, why don't we just. . . Helo, come here!" he ordered suddenly. Helo stepped forward and, along with Lee and Billy, followed the lead of the Commander and lined up at the stone door.

"On three," Lee ordered, leaning in to get a good purchase upon the rock. "One. Two. Three." They all began to push the rock inward and Lee felt a rush of anticipation as the rock began to move smoothly into the rock wall. Yes! The rock swung inside and revealed a dark corridor leading to. . . something he couldn't see from where he stood. "After you," Lee said pleasantly to Starbuck, who still held the arrow in her hands.

She unhesitatingly entered the darkness and Lee followed her a few steps. The President was on his heels and he stopped to listen to his father.

"Helo, you stay there."

"Sir?" Helo questioned in a surprised tone.

"Chief?" his father ordered brusquely.

"Sir?"

"Guard everybody."

"Yes, sir," the Chief agreed and Lee proceeded inward, knowing that his father, the President, and Billy were just behind him.

The five of them wandered around the dimly lit room, and Lee was surprised to see slits in the ceiling that allowed slim strands of light to filter inward throughout the entire chamber. He took careful steps, looking at the statues and stone objects that ringed the room.

"If the arrow didnt actually open the tomb, how do we know this is the right place?" Kara asked suddenly, her eyes scanning the objects in much the same way Lee's had.

"We don't," the Commander stated simply. "But its a tomb, all right."

The President looked up from her scriptures, which Lee was sure she could no longer read in the dim light. "The scriptures say you need to arrow to find the map."

"These broken statues. . ." Starbuck stated suddenly, her brow creased in thought. "I recognize them. The ram. . . Aerilon. Gemenon. . . the twins. These are the icons of the twelve tribes the Twelve Colonies. I mean, this is where it really all began. We all came from this place." Her tone was almost reverent, and Lee was surprised to discover that she had a more spiritual side to her.

Billy spoke up for the first time. "This could be Picon. . . the fish."

Lee shrugged and joined in, as well, reaching out and touching the statue of a topless woman. "I guess this little lady would be Virgon. Right?"

"The goat for Caprica," Starbuck added, her voice almost quivering with excitement.

"And this is Sagittaron, the archer," the President mused thoughtfully.

The Commander walked over to the statue she had just pointed out and looked at it carefully. His head snapped up and he looked at President Roslin. "He's missing something."

Lee and Kara, along with Billy, walked over to join his father and President Roslin at the Sagittaron statue who was, indeed, missing the arrow that was usually found in his bow. Kara took the golden arrow and placed it gently into the exact position you would a real bow and arrow. The arrow snapped into place as if pulled by a strong magnetic force and the stone door they had entered through slammed closed. . . encasing them in complete darkness.

Lee felt a fissure of alarm run though his body and then suddenly the darkness began to lighten. As his vision adjusted he realized that he and the others were standing in a grassy meadow surrounded by rock monoliths. He could actually hear the chirping of crickets and smell the scents of the grasses and flowers around them. It was peaceful. Idyllic.

Up above them in the night sky were star constellations. Twelve of them. And suddenly he knew what he was looking at. . . they had the map to Earth.

xxxxx

DAY 65

Athena paced back and forth in the CIC, her patience beginning to weary, it had been over two days since the Raptor containing the Commander, Galen and Billy had jumped away from Galactica. She was beginning to worry. Hell, she had been worrying since the moment the Raptor took off from the landing bay.

"Stop the frakking pacing!" the XO snapped loudly at her as he watched with a pained look upon his face. "You're making me crazy!"

"Gee. Sorry, Saul," she responded with an innocent drawl, knowing it would get his goat for her to use his first name in such a public place, surrounded by subordinate crew members. "Your snarling at everyone in the CIC makes _me_ crazy!"

Lt. Gaeta and D looked at her as if she'd completely lost her wits, but she and Colonel Tigh had come to a meeting of the minds. He had taken the Commander's words at face value and treated her as _almost_ his equal. He let her deal with the press, the fleet, and anything to do with personnel with only an occasional comment or suggestion. In the few days they had been working in tandem he seemed to have grown to trust her. Mostly.

Athena was actually finding that she liked the cranky old bastard, and in return he seemed to like the way she was able to be so casual and unconcerned around him. They had ended up with more spare time than they knew what to do with since the Commander had left, and he had talked a bit about his past, actually opening up to her in small ways. She had heard some stories about Tigh and Wild Bill Adama that she knew the Commander would not appreciate her knowing. And she had begun to understand a little bit of what made the Colonel the way he was.

"I can bust you back to lieutenant, you know," he threatened, only half-joking. His face was as stern and unyielding as always, but his eyes sparkled with a hint of amusement and pleasure. She was almost positive he liked the little challenges she threw his way and she had discovered he was a master at repartee and the use of dry humor and irony.

"Yeah, right," Athena responded with a roll of her eyes. She grinned over at him. "Then who would help you run this tub? Face it-we need each other." Then, knowing that it truly did drive him crazy, she made an attempt to stop pacing. She stood next to him at the planning table and placed both hands on it for support, looking over at him intently. She lowered her voice so that only he could hear her. "Tell me they're going to be okay. Tell me the old man and Lee will come back. I need to hear it, Saul. I'm afraid."

"The old man _will_ come back," he told her with certainty in his every word and tone. "He knows I hate being in command and wouldn't do that to me. But I don't give a frak if Lee comes back or not," he added without thinking.

Athena looked up at him, unable to stop the burning moisture that filled her eyes despite her best efforts. She knew that if Lee didnt come back, she would end up living her life like a ghost like someone living a half existence. And she stood every chance of turning into the same kind of person as the man who was standing right in front of her.

"Sorry," he apologized quietly, his voice sincere as he looked down at her. "You know the old man wouldn't come back without him. Though I sure as hell think you could do better. Lee's been a thorn in my side since he got on this ship."

"He's a good man, Saul," she informed him quietly, "and he's very much like his father. Just think about all the Wild Bill Adama stories you've told me these past two days. Did the Commander ever conform without thought or comply with directions with which he didn't agree? I think what Lee has done in these past weeks makes him more like Bill than we ever thought he could be." It was true. Lee may have taken after his mother in looks, but he was every inch his father when it came to his character and personality.

The XO stared at her, not wanting to agree with her and apparently having tired of arguing with her. He simply shook his head and looked away. Oh well, Athena thought, she was chipping away at the XOs armor a tiny bit at a time.

"Dradis contact!" Lt. Gaeta called out, his entire body leaning into the console. Athena and the XO both looked up at their own console, trying to see what had just entered their space. They had planned coordinates to run to if the Cylons found them, but Athena didn't want to move the fleet unless there was absolutely no other choice.

"I am showing. . . twenty-six ships. All but one carrying Colonial transponders! Sirs! The rest of the fleet is back!" Lt. Gaeta almost yelled, his voice filled with glee.

"Galactica, this is Raptor One," a female voice came over the radio. Athena recognized the voice as Racetrack's, who was the ECO for the Raptor team that had taken the Commander to Kobol.

"This is Galactica, come in Raptor One," D responded, her eyes sparkling as they caught Athena's gaze.

"We are returning to Galactica, all boarding party personnel intact, plus four additional passengers. Please have a security team meet us at the hanger deck."

"Affirmative. A security team will meet you at the hanger deck. Welcome home, Raptor One," D replied with a questioning look at Athena and the XO.

"Order the Security team," the XO ordered Lt. Gaeta before turning to look at her. She thought she could almost see a smile beginning to twist his lips, though he fought hard to hide it. "Captain. I can handle things here. Perhaps you should meet the Raptor and make sure the Commander has everything he needs."

"Thank you, sir," she replied with a grateful smile. The old SOB could be almost human once in a while. She gave him a crisp salute and fled before he could change his mind. She almost ran the entire way to the hanger deck, thrilled beyond belief that Lee was coming back to the Galactica. She had no idea what the security team was for, but she hoped it wouldn't be for Lee. Commander Adama had gone to the planet to mend fences with both the President and with his son. Something else had to be going on that she didnt yet know about.

xxxxx

Lee felt like he was going to jump out of his seat with anticipation. It had been way too long since he'd seen Athena, and she'd been in a hospital bed when he'd left. His father had assured him that she was recovering nicely and not to worry, but he couldn't help doing just that worrying. He had left her to deal with the loss of their child all on her own. He could scarcely forgive himself for that, and prayed that she would.

"Gods, you act like you have frakking ants in your pants," Starbuck teased, her eyes not leaving Lee's tense form.

Lee didn't comment, just glared at her. He didn't want to say anything in front of Helo and the Sharon Cylon. Tyrol gave him a brief grin and then stared off in the opposite direction from this new Sharon. This resurrection of his old lover had obviously been hard on the Chief.

"So, Lee. . . what are you gonna do first once we get back on Galactica?" Starbuck taunted, her expression gleeful at his obvious discomfort at being the center of attention.

"Enough, Kara," the Commander chided firmly, shooting her a stern look.

Lee sent his father a grateful look and then peered out the canopy as the Raptor entered the landing tube. He could barely contain himself as the bird sat down on the elevator and was lifted up into the hanger bay. He was up and standing at the hatch before ship was even tied down, not caring what the others thought about his eagerness to see Athena. Please gods, let him find her quickly!

"Captain," his father called out, his voice keeping Lee from banging on the closed hatch in impatience. He looked back at the Commander and took a deep breath. "Take the rest of the day off. You've earned it."

"Thank you, sir," he responded gratefully, wondering if the frakking door would ever open! Racetrack hit the button and the hatch began to part, freeing Lee from his imprisonment.

xxxxx

Athena paced the hanger bay, watching anxiously as the Raptor rose on the elevator platform and was manually pushed to the loading and unloading area. Finally, the hatch separated and she grinned as Lee almost flew out, his eyes scanning the bay. For her. The thought that he was so eager to see her brought tears of sheer joy to her eyes.

"Lee," she called out, thinking that he had never looked more handsome in his life. He was unshaven, his hair was long and tousled on the sides as well as the top, and his clothing was soiled and wrinkled. And he was the best thing she'd ever seen.

"Athena," he responded, his eyes finally finding hers as he sped across the deck to her. "Oh gods! I've missed you," he breathed as he pulled her into his arms and initiated a long, hard kiss that took her breath away. He pushed her back against the bulkhead, the entire length of his body locking her in place against the metal wall.

She kissed him back eagerly, not caring who was watching or what they thought about their all too public display. To hell with secrecy, she thought wildly as his lips and tongue ravaged her mouth. One of his hands slid downward to her thigh and lifted one of her legs to allow his body even closer contact with hers. She moaned into his mouth as his erection pressed intimately against her, stirring up feelings she had so greatly missed.

"I missed you so much," she whispered as his lips moved to tenderly caress her neck. "So much."

"I missed you, too. I'm so sorry," he told her, his eyes locking with hers as his hand let go of her leg and reached up to caress the side of her face. "I wasn't here for you when you needed me. Please tell me you forgive me."

"Of course I forgive you," she responded tearfully, touched that his first thoughts were of her and the loss of their child. She could see that the loss had hit him just as strongly as it had her, and that they both had a lot of healing to do. "I understood, Lee."

He moved away slightly and looked her over carefully. "You look thin. Beautiful, but thin," he amended, his voice filled with concern.

"I'm fine. You look great. You _smell_ horrible, but you look great," she teased back, her voice a purr as she pulled him back against her for another nerve tingling kiss. She let one hand drop to lightly caress his butt, and chuckled as his erection became more pronounced.

"Want to help me in the shower?" he offered, moving his lips to nuzzle at her earlobe.

"Okay, Captains," a voice spoke out, and Athena looked up to see Galen looking at them with amusement. "You're drawing a crowd and my people can't handle the degree of excitement your. . . reunion. . . is causing."

"You're just jealous," Lee stated with a grin as he let go and Athena and moved to stand by her side.

"Hell, yes!" Galen agreed with a soft smile focused at Athena. "But she insists you're the man for her. Treat her well, Captain Adama."

"Count on it," Lee promised, grinning even more broadly at the man's words as he took one of her hands in his and began pulling her down the companionway. They moved hand in hand through the corridors that led to their quarters, and pointedly ignored the glances they received from crewmembers as they passed. Athena didn't care who saw them together. The time for secrets was past.

Lee pulled her into their quarters and shut the hatch behind them before turning to look at her. "Now tell me the truth. Are you really all right?"

Athena smiled lightly at his concerned tone. He was truly worried that she was holding back something to do with her health from him. She closed her eyes as he stroked her face with gentle fingers. "I promise that I'm doing okay. I'm not completely back to normal yet, and I won't be able to fly for some weeks to come, but I'm recovering. I'm going to be fine, Lee."

"Thank the gods! I've been so damned worried," he admitted, his breath hot and moist against the side of her neck. "All I could think of was you. And the baby. I am _so_ sorry about the baby. I had no idea you were pregnant."

"Neither did I," she admitted, pulling away from him and beginning to unbutton his shirt. He truly did smell horribly and she couldn't wait to get him into the shower. "I would never have agreed to go on the mission if I'd even thought there was a possibility." Athena had thought about that time and again. How could she not have known she was carrying a child? Shouldn't she have known? But the doctor had assured her that it was not unusual for some women to have no early symptoms and not be able to tell without the medical test.

He watched her intently as she stripped his clothing from his body and then turned on the shower to let the water heat. His eyes filled and shone with unshed tears as he looked at her, totally oblivious to his nakedness. "I dreamed about the baby. Night after night. Sometimes she was already dead, and sometimes I had to watch her die at the hands of the Cylons. It was frakking horrible! I haven't slept through an entire night since I left. I think. . . I was feeling guilty for being gone. For leaving you alone. For not protecting you and our baby."

"Oh, Lee," Athena murmured, pulling him into her embrace, again not caring what he smelled like. He was hurting as much, if not more, than she was. He was dealing not only with the loss of their baby, but also with his own feelings of remorse over his absence at such a fateful time. "Please believe me when I tell you that I understood why you were gone. I admit that I was angry for a few days, but that stemmed mostly from my own feelings of self-pity. There was _nothing_ you could have done to save our baby. It wasn't meant to be. She wasn't meant to be," she added, commenting upon the gender of the child that he had used earlier.

She kissed him tenderly, and then simply stood and held him against her. He held her tightly against him for several long minutes and then stepped away, his face damp with emotion.

"I love you. . . Captain Darr," he stated, looking at her rank emblems and smiling. "And, by the way, congratulations on the promotion."

"Thank you, Captain Adama," she replied, grinning back at him. "Now you can't boss me around."

"I have _never_ bossed you around!"

"I know. But now you can't, even if you wanted to."

He laughed and stepped into the shower. "Care to join me?"

"Sorry, no can do. I can't get my incisions wet until my check-up next week and the doc gives his okay," she informed him, pulling the flimsy shower curtain shut to keep the reflected water spray contained. She sat on the closed toilet and enjoyed the sound of him washing. It was that sort of simple thing that she'd missed while he'd been gone. She'd even missed the sound of his soft snore at night.

"No sex either, I'd imagine," he mentioned in an almost too casual tone, and Athena had to smile.

"Not according to the doctor, but. . ." she paused and grinned when he stilled completely within the shower stall. "I stopped bleeding over three days ago and as long as I don't do anything too overly stressful on my injuries. . ."

"I can wait," he replied simply, going back to his washing.

"Yeah? Well, what if I can't?" she countered with a laugh. Of all the times for him to get noble on her! "I've been thinking about nothing but making love with you all day."

"You have, huh?" he laughed, turning off the water and stepping out into the tiny head. He took the towel she held out to him and grinned at her as he quickly toweled off. "But seriously, I think we should wait until the doctor give the go ahead. If I were to hurt you. . ."

"You won't hurt me," she assured him, leaning forward and dipping her tongue into the dampness of his navel. His stomach muscled tightened as her lips moved lower and he reached out to stop her movement.

"It's been too long," he admitted, pulling her upright and into his arms. He began unbuttoning the fastenings of her uniform, his eyes never leaving hers. "I don't think I'm going to have much control."

"Control is overrated." Athena let him strip her and stood in front of him as he explored and refamiliarized himself with her body. She knew she had lost too much weight, and hated the way her hipbones seemed to stick out with no flesh to cushion them. He ran a finger along the ugly length of her incision, and she shivered at the depth of his tenderness. She took him by the hand and led him to their bed, not caring that her uniform was lying in a heap upon the floor of the head.

"Lie down," she whispered, deciding that she was going to have to take control. After seeing the extent of her injuries, she knew he again doubted the wisdom of their making love. And by the gods, she wanted to make love with Lee! He complied silently and she immediately straddled his thighs, looking down at the heartrendingly beautiful body of the man she loved. "I love you, Lee."

"I love you, too, Athena," he responded huskily, his eyes locking with and holding hers. "Are you sure about this? I _can_ wait, you know. Just being back here with you-"

"Is wonderful, but I want more than that," she admitted with a grin. "I need you inside me. I need the physical connection between us. Its my way of. . . of affirming that you truly are here with me again."

He nodded his understanding and she smiled. She knew that he would have gladly just held her through the night, doing his best to ignore the erection over which he had little control. Instead, she opted for the route of pleasure-for both of them. She lifted enough to settle over him, loving the way it felt when he stretched her fully, inside and out. He was hard and hot, and her blood boiled at the feeling his body unleashed within hers.

"You feel so good," he groaned, voicing her very thoughts.

"Yes." Athena moved slightly, relieved that there was no pain from their intimate union. But then again, her surgery had been much deeper inside. She leaned over him and kissed him deeply, letting her lips and tongue play and tease. At the same time she raked her short fingernails across his chest and nipples, delighting in the shiver she felt go through his body. "I missed you. I missed this. Nothing was the same without you."

"I don't ever want to leave you again," he admitted in a voice that shook, his eyes unfocused with passion. He cried out as she lifted her body away from his and then returned, caressing his penis deep inside of her. However, after half a dozen such movements, Athena was alarmed to feel a burning in her outer abdominal incision.

"I'm afraid I may have overestimated my strength," she admitted, relaxing against him, her breasts pressing into his chest as she gently licked her way along his jaw line. "I think you may have to take over on top."

Lee looked at her for a long moment, as if trying to clear his head, and then kissed her lightly. "It'd be my pleasure." He slid out from under her, being careful not to hurt her as he helped her roll onto her back and then parted her legs with his knees. Being careful to support his weight on his elbows, he slipped back into her body and took over where she had left off. "Tell me if I hurt you."

"You aren't hurting me. You'd hurt me if you stopped," she whispered, throwing her head back and giving in to the intensity of the feelings that were building within her. He arched his back and leaned downward to lave her nipples with his tongue and she held back nothing, moaning with pleasure that could not be contained. His pace quickened and she felt both of them speeding toward a culmination neither one of them could control. She cried out as her climax hit and the intensity of it took him over the edge along with her, his cries of pleasure drowning out her own. He continued to move within her, his body thrilling hers until neither one of them had the energy to continue.

"Heaven help me when you're one-hundred percent," he panted and Athena could feel his smile against the side of her neck. He pulled out of her and rolled to one side before she could stop him, and felt bereft at his absence within her. "You can't handle my weight," he told her firmly, anticipating her protest. "Give in gracefully."

Athena nodded her acceptance of his words as he lay next to her with one leg resting over her thighs and a hand gently caressing her stomach.

"I wish. . ." he began, his voice faltering as he watched the play of his hand across her flesh. "I would have liked to see our baby grow inside you."

"I know. A few times I've allowed myself to imagine if she'd lived. If she'd been born," Athena admitted, watching the tender expression upon Lee's face as he stared at her flat belly. She _had_ let her imagination run away with her a few times, but it had been too painful and she'd forced herself to not go there. "I don't know why things happen the way they do, but I do believe that things occur as they were meant. This child, for some reason we'll never know, was not meant for our world. But Doc Cottle has assured me that later on, after I've fully healed inside, I should be able to get pregnant and carry another child to term."

"I'm glad about that," Lee said bringing his eyes up to meet hers. "But I grieve for _this_ baby that will never be. I'll love any and every child we have, but this baby will always have been our first. I'll always miss her."

"We don't know that it was a girl," Athena said with a frown, worried about the strength of his feelings about their lost child. His dreams and nightmares had apparently affected him intensely while they were apart. "It was too soon to tell for sure."

"I _know_. Don't ask me how, but I know deep inside that our baby was a girl. Maybe all the time I've spent with the President and her visions have made me give more credence to my dreams. I don't know, babe."

"Lee. . ."

"Don't worry, Athena. Tonight I'm . . . feeling overwhelmed with joy to be back with you and at the same time filled with this heavy sort of grief I can't explain," he admitted in a husky, emotion filled voice that bespoke of great pain. "I've never been emotional like this in my life, but I feel the need to simply let go and grieve. We've both been through so much these past weeks and right now I want nothing more than to be right here with you. In each others arms. Speaking our hearts and minds in a way I've never been able to do with anyone else. I want you to know how much I love you. And how much I need you, and respect you, and admire you, and depend on you for your honesty and support and a million other things. I want to say the things people often don't bother or forget to say... because we don't know what tomorrow holds."

Athena reached out and caressed the warm flesh of his forearm as she thought about his words. He was right that in times such as these, there were so many things that people. . . that couples. . . too often left unsaid. He was being honest about his feelings and was expressing an openness that was so far beyond what she had thought him capable. He had truly grown and changed in the time they had been apart.

"I love you, Lee, and you're right. People tend not to say the things that they think are obvious," she acknowledged with a sad smile. "I think that tonight what I want you to know most of all is that I believe in you. I respect your courage, your audacity, your ability to act without over-thinking or analyzing things to death, and the way you take a stand for what you believe. When you say something, you mean it and you don't waste time playing games. I trust you in a way I have never trusted another human being, and I am so proud to be with you. I love you, Lee Adama. I will love you until the day I die. Nothing will ever change that. Nothing."

Lee smiled at her and reached down to pull a sheet up over their naked bodies. The important words having been said, they closed their eyes and simply enjoyed the closeness they shared.

Their reunion was complete.


	20. Chapter 20 End of Story

Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning

Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.

Chapter Twenty

Healing the Breech

DAY 65

Lee was dozing, Athena held in his arms, when he heard a knock on the door of their quarters. Their quarters. He liked thinking and saying that small but important phrase. She'd moved all her things in while he was gone and he would be damned if he let her leave! Now that they were both Captains they could be open about their relationship and living arrangements.

He wondered if that was at least part of his father's reason in promoting Athena so suddenly. Of course, there had been no certainty that he or Starbuck would return to Galactica, so a permanent CAG was needed. And Athena was the most qualified person on board. There was absolutely no doubt in his mind that she deserved the rank of Captain. It would be a pleasure to share the CAG position with her. They complimented each others strengths.

"Are you going to answer the door?" Athena asked him in a languid, contented tone as she arched her back and stretched beside him. "Or should I?"

"I'll do it," he offered, realizing that his mind had gone off to such a degree that he'd already forgotten someone had knocked. Good thing he wasnt in the cockpit. . . he'd get himself killed! "You don't move a muscle."

"No worries," she murmured as he climbed over her and got out of the bed. He pulled on his boxer shorts and pulled the curtain that shielded the sleeping area on his way to the door.

Lee opened the hatch only to find no one there. He looked up and down the empty corridor, but there was no one to be found. Strange. Then he looked down and saw a tray of food and a thermal coffee container. Someone had left them a meal. He picked up the tray and stepped back inside, shutting the hatch again behind him.

"Who was it?" Athena asked sleepily from the bunk.

"No one there. But whoever it was kindly left us a meal," he told her as he sat the tray down on the table by the couch.

"Really? Food?" The curtain opened and she stepped out and looked at the tray with interest. "I haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday. And is that coffee?"

"Yep." He poured her a cup of the steaming brew and watched as she pulled on a silky floral patterned shirt of some kind that hung to just above her knees. Lee raised his eyebrows in appreciation as he sat down, realizing that the filmy garment was even sexier than seeing her naked. She looked. . . soft and feminine and infinitely desirable.

"One of the nurses gave it to me when I was in the Medical Unit," Athena explained with a shrug as she sat on the couch next to him and took the cup he held out to her. She took a tentative sip and began investigating the tray of food in front of them. "It seems that when someone other than a pilot dies on the ship, their personal belongings go to a supply closet that the Medical Unit uses to replace clothes on injured crew members. She took pity on me and gave me a nightshirt that didnt bare my ass to the world every time I got out of bed."

"Hmm. That I'd like to have seen," he told her with a grin as he poked around the tray to see what food their anonymous benefactor had left them. There were two bowls of warm pasta with some sort of creamy sauce that smelled lightly of garlic, several pieces of warm bread with a few pats of very precious butter, and a bar of chocolate. He looked at the wrapper and realized who had left the food for them. "Wow. Chocolate from my father's personal stash."

"He has a stash of chocolate?"

"Yeah. I can remember my mom buying a case of this very brand of chocolate for my dad to take every time he left on an extended tour," he remembered with a smile. "She said he couldn't go more than a few days without at least a bite of chocolate. This must be from my dad," Lee concluded, waving a hand at the tray.

"Gods! I haven't had a piece of chocolate in months, Athena admitted with a smile of anticipation. "I'll have to be sure to thank him."

They ate their meal quickly and quietly, both of them having missed more than a few meals in the past two days, and then they slowly savored the bar of chocolate. Afterward, Athena reclined in his arms on the couch, both of them contented and happy just to be together. After a few minutes of companionable silence, she turned to look up at him.

"Okay. Now what I really want is for you to tell me everything that happened while I was on Kobol and then later, when you left with the President," she ordered with a grin that softened her command.

"Everything?"

"Yes. And don't leave anything out. I want to know it all."

Lee pulled her back against his bare chest and lifted his legs up so they rested on the tabletop. There was a lot to tell and he figured he might as well get comfortable. This was one of the things he'd missed about being away from Athena. The luxury of being able to run things by a person who was not only smart and intuitive, but who also loved him and was non-judgmental about his sometimes rather glaring mistakes. He took a few moments to order his thoughts and then began telling her all that had happened after her departure for Kobol.

He told her about Starbuck going AWOL to Caprica in the Cylon Raider. He continued with his pulling his weapon on Colonel Tigh and ending up in the Galactica brig with President Roslin. For the first time he put into words his initial anger and bitterness at the President's concession after he'd risked everything to support her. That led to his father being shot by the Galactica's original Sharon Valerii and his rage and helplessness as the XO threw him back into the brig and wouldn't allow him to stay with his father in the Medical Unit. He told her about the terrible decisions the XO had made, the Cylons boarding the ship and how they had almost died at the hands of six Centurions.

He remembered his feelings of total helplessness at Athena being stranded on Kobol while he had watched the Galactica jump away to safety. He did his best to put into words his feelings at finding her gravely injured on Kobol and then discovering she had been pregnant with and lost his child.

But it was learning that his father truly didn't know where Earth was that made him decide to assist the President in escaping Galactica. If they were to have any hope of a life beyond mere survival, they _needed_ to find Earth. So he left Athena and his father, both seriously injured at the time, and went with the President. Athena listened without comment until he told her about almost making the tape to denounce his father publicly.

"Gods. Im _so_ glad you didn't do that," she said in a heartfelt manner. "I'm not sure your father would have been able to forgive that one!"

"No. I'm sure he wouldn't have," Lee agreed, knowing he had made the right choice to step back at that particular moment. "It just felt like. . . like a personal attack. I didn't see that it was necessary for me to stab the old man when he was down. I didn't agree with a lot of the decisions he made, but I never stopped respecting and loving him. Besides, I had this feeling that Zarek was trying to play me. To manipulate me in the name of the cause, and I'll be damned if I'll let that man get the best of me!"

Lee went on to tell her about Starbucks amazing return, along with her unexpected passengers Helo and the second Sharon Cylon. He even shared the intensity of his hatred for the replica of the Cylon woman who had almost killed his father and was brutally honest about how close he had come to killing her twice. He finally got to the days spent on Kobol and his emotional reunion with his father, along with his relief at having the breech so quickly healed between them. He described the tomb and map chamber in the greatest detail possible, wanting her to be able to visualize what it had been like. By the time he finished his story he was exhausted and felt almost as though he had relived the intensity and emotions of the past few weeks.

"Let's get some sleep," he suggested suddenly, giving her a nudge away so he could get up from the couch. He gave her a hand up and they crossed the few steps to their bunk. It was late and he was emotionally and physically wrung out. He was glad to have shared his thoughts and feeling with Athena, and realized that everything they shared with one another, both good and bad, tightened the bond between the two of them. Because of the high degree of communication they shared, she had a better understanding of how he thought and felt, and why he reacted in the ways he did.

But as they crawled back into the bunk he realized that he had done all the talking and she had shared little to nothing about her experiences of the past few weeks. She snuggled into his arms and he wondered what she was thinking and feeling. What was going on in her head that she had yet to share with him? Did she need the same release that he did, but in his selfishness he was shutting her out?

"Athena?" he said softly, kissing her on the side of the head just above her ear.

"Hmm?"

"I've done a lot of talking tonight, but you haven't said much of anything about all that happened to you," he stated softly as he held her close against him. She lay still in his arms as if waiting for his next words. "I'd like for you to tell me about your experiences on Kobol and later, on Galactica, after I left with the President."

"You know what happened to me," she stated simply, lifting a shoulder in a tiny shrug.

"But you haven't told me how you _felt_. What you _thought_. I need to hear these things from you," he told her sincerely. He wanted to have the same insight into her that she had into him, but he wouldn't until she opened up with him. "Youre keeping a part of yourself back for some reason. Maybe to spare me or protect me, or maybe just because you don't want to talk about it. But I think it's just as important for you to talk to me as it is for me to talk to you."

"I... it's hard for me," she admitted softly, her voice hesitant. "I've never been one to talk about what's inside. So much of my life has had to be kept private. Secret, I guess you could say."

Lee thought about her words for a moment. She had been just as alone in her life as he had been in his... maybe even more so. "Until you, I never shared my true thoughts or feelings with anyone. I never confessed my stupid mistakes or my hardheadedness to another soul. I kept it all locked deep inside, not believing there was anyone who could truly understand me. Do you love me?"

"You know I do."

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then there should be _nothing_ you can't say to me. I know I've done things that have hurt you and pissed you off, and yet..." Lee didnt know what else to say. He _needed_ her to open up and share her thoughts and feelings with him. He needed her to allow him to be there for her in the same way she was always there for him. "No matter what you were to say to me, it wouldnt change the way I love you. You know that, right?"

xxxxx

"I know that," Athena whispered, understanding what he wanted from her but feeling a great sense of hesitancy about giving it to him. She did love him. And she did trust him. And she realized that he was correct when he said that she held a part of herself back. Not just from him, but from everyone. It was tremendously hard to share some things.

He lay patiently beside her, his arms holding her securely, as if sheltering her from the outside world. She felt completely safe with Lee. There was no reason for her not to speak out, except she didn't want to say things that might hurt him or put a dent in his confidence. But for the sake of their relationship she had to try. She had to take the risk.

"Where should I start?"

He was still for a few moments. "With Kobol, I guess."

Kobol had been one of the worst experiences of her life, and she was loath to discuss it. Not because she didnt trust Lee to understand, but because she truly didn't want to relive those days in hell. She had watched people die at the hands of the Cylons, and she had watched a man die at the hands of his own people. She had almost lost her own life and had lost their child.

"Nothing good happened on Kobol," Athena stated simply, her voice barely above a whisper. She didn't want to talk about Kobol, but Lee wouldn't have asked if it weren't important to him to hear it from her. "It was an ill-fated trip from the beginning. I mean. . . We no sooner jumped into space above the planet than we found ourselves almost inside a Cylon BaseStar. Gods! There were more Raiders than I could even begin to count. We were hit almost immediately, and the shrapnel from the round hit me in the side. I did what I could to keep control of the Raptor and began an emergency descent to the planet, but a second hit knocked something loose in the Raptor that struck me on the head."

"The next thing I remember is Galen leaning over me. Everyone was yelling and panicking. I could feel the shrapnel inside me, but Socinus was in much worse shape and needed serious medical attention. Right from the first minute I knew we were screwed. Most of our party was totally inexperienced in combat. Of the eight of us who survived the crash, only three of us had any battle experience and little of that was in ground combat."

"I couldn't think clearly and my vision was fuzzy, and later Doc told me I had a concussion, so I stayed in the background. I sat watch whenever possible to free up the others and I let Crashdown do his thing. The XO had been very clear that this was Crash's mission and I was to take a passive role. And to be honest, I knew from the start that my wound was serious, but I didn't say anything to the others because we were double-timing through the valley trying to get to a secure spot. It wasn't long after that we saw Centurions building an anti-missile launcher in the tree line. It was only a matter of time until a SAR came for us and would be wiped out before they could get to us."

"Crash came up with this crazy ass plan for us to take out the AMU, which frankly, would have been a suicide mission for us all. Galen suggested destroying the dradis dish and disabling the weapon, but Crash wouldn't hear anything counter to his own plan. We were all arguing about what to do when your Raptors came into the atmosphere. Crash took a bullet and Galen and I went with our plan to hit the dradis dish so the Cylons couldn't control the missiles. All I remember is running like hell and feeling like I was going to explode from the inside out. Galen and I both shot at the dish together and I don't remember anything else until I woke up in the Medical Unit next to your father. Doc Cottle caught me up on what had happened to the Commander and later you were there."

It all sounded so simply and orderly, but Athena knew it had been anything but. She could tell the story in a few minutes, but it was impossible to relay the confusion and fear they had all felt. Plus, she felt more than a little guilt about leaving out a few very important details concerning Crash's death. But she knew no good would come of _anyone_ finding out about Crash's crazy actions and the fact that the Vice President had killed him. That would be a tough burden for Lee to carry, so she'd made the decision to withhold that particular information. Not because she didn't trust him with it-but because it was knowledge he would agonize over keeping from his father.

"And then I left," Lee stated simply, his voice infinitely sad.

"Yes. But Lee, I did understand why you were going. I was _glad_ to be able to watch over your father so you could do what your conscience dictated," she told him sincerely, turning her head slightly so she could see his eyes. He needed to understand that it had been important to her to do this one small thing for him. "It was only a few hours after you left that your father started to come around. Come hell or high water he was going to get up and find out what had been happening on his ship, so I helped him to the XO's quarters. In the process I tore some internal stitches and began to bleed again-this time all over the XO's floor-and passed out. When I woke up again your dad was there with me. Watching over me. When he left Doc Cottle told me about the baby."

"And I wasn't there for you."

"No. You weren't. And yes, I was angry with you when the doctor told me that you knew about the baby before you left. I felt so alone. I don't think I have ever been so depressed and lonely in all my life," Athena admitted softly, hating the memory of those days. She didn't want to hurt Lee, but he needed to understand how she had felt. What his absence had done to her. "But, your father was there for me when I needed a shoulder, and then he made me CAG again and I was too busy keeping it all together to dwell on things overmuch. I worked and worried and realized that the only important thing was that you came home again. I spent a lot of time talking with your father and Saul."

"Saul?" Lee repeated in astonishment.

"Yes, Saul. We've. . . grown somewhat close this past week or so. He's a prickly bastard, but I find I like him," she admitted with a grin, certain she'd shocked Lee to the core. _No one_ liked the XO other than the Commander. "I think he appreciates my directness and has come to value my skills. We get along quite well, all things considered. He's told me some amazing stories about him and your dad in their younger days. But anyway, after your dad decided to reunite the fleet, things moved fast. He refused to let me come along and, I have to admit I didn't want to go back to Kobol. I would have if I'd been needed, but I _really_ didn't want to go. Too many bad memories. So after your dad left with Galen and Billy, it was just Saul and I. We. . . I guess you could say we bonded together to get the job done for your dad, and discovered the others good qualities somewhere in the process."

"I didn't know he had any good qualities," Lee stated dryly.

"Funny. He feels exactly the same about you. But, let me tell you something. When he's not drinking he's very smart," she informed him sternly, standing up for her new and unlikely friend. "And he's loyal to your father and this ship. And now. . . he's kind of become my friend. So that's my story, such as it is. In the past few weeks I've been scared out of my wits, near death, lost our baby, furious with you, depressed and lonely, and afraid you'd never make it back. I've learned that Im even stronger than I realized, and that you are so much like your dad that its almost uncanny. I've learned that I love you more than my own life and now that you're back, I never plan to let you go again."

Lee sighed and held her tighter against him. "I don't plan on ever leaving you again. Nothing and no one is more important to me than you are. Nothing."

xxxxx

DAY 66

A loud knock on the door woke Lee from a deep sleep. After their talk he and Athena had slept for a time before making love again and talking some more. It had been a time of closeness and healing for them both. A time of coming together. They had talked about the things that mattered to them both, sharing everything they had to offer to one another.

"Rise and shine, sleepyheads!" an all too familiar voice called out and Lee realized that Starbuck had entered their quarters uninvited.

"Kara!" he roared, climbing out of the bunk over Athena and pulling the curtain to afford them some privacy. They were both naked and he had no intention of parading around in front of their smart-mouthed friend. Athena smiled at him as he pulled on his boxer shorts and tossed her nightshirt to her. "What the hell do you think you're doing just walking in like that?"

"Hey now, I'm here for your own good," Kara protested, more than a little glee coloring her voice as he stepped through the curtain. "You both missed the morning briefing, which I very kindly took over for you, and the old man said to shake you both out of bed. There's to be an assembly at 1100 hours, which is just over 30 minutes from now and we all need to be there. Hey, Athena. You're looking better than I expected," Kara added as Athena pulled the curtain and stepped out to join them.

"I'm glad to see you, too. I missed you," Athena responded, pulling the other woman into her arms for a quick hug. Kara looked shocked for a moment at the physical display of affection and then returned the hug. Athena let her go and then began picking up her clothes from the night before. Damn! They were a wrinkled mess. "What kind of assembly?"

"I don't know the details, only that it's to be broadcast to the entire fleet. I'm guessing its about what we found on the planet," Kara told them, watching as Lee pulled out a fresh uniform and began to dress. She plopped down on the couch, apparently planning to stay until they were dressed and ready to go. "So. . . Athena. Did Lee tell you that he kissed me?"

Lee took a deep breath and prayed for patience as he glanced over to see Athena grinning at him. "Quit trying to make trouble," he warned, thankful that he and Athena had had such a good night together before they'd had to deal with outside influences. He'd told Athena about his encounters with Kara and how she'd reacted when he told her he loved her. . . as a friend, of course.

"It's okay, Lee," Athena laughed, her amusement apparent in her expression. "Yes, Kara, Lee did tell me that he kissed you _and_ that he told you he loved you. He also told me that the two of you slept together on Kobol." Lee groaned at the way that particular statement sounded, and then had to grin at Kara's startled look. Gods! Athena could certainly give as good as she got.

"We didn't. . . well, I guess we did sleep together," Kara agreed with a laugh. "If you count my sharing a lean-to with him and having to listen to him snore the entire frakking night."

"I did not!" Lee protested, stepping into the head and dampening his hair prior to combing it into some sort of order.

"How the hell would you know?" Kara protested with upraised eyebrows. "You were asleep, tossing and turning as soon as your head hit the ground."

"Well, it was nice to be with someone I trusted to watch my back," he admitted with a sheepish shrug. It had been his first semi-good night of sleep since Athena had left for her survey of Kobol, and he'd taken advantage of the opportunity.

"Okay, you two," Athena chided them good-naturedly as she stepped into the head behind Lee. "Stop bickering." She put her hands on his hips to hold him still and then reached around him to get her toothbrush. She was in her dress grays and looked wonderful to his eyes, though he thought she was still a bit pale.

Lee frowned lightly as he looked at her in the mirror as she stood patiently behind him. He hoped she hadn't overdone it last night. Gods! He hoped he hadn't hurt her.

"You two are disgustingly. . . good together," Kara commented from where she still sat on the couch, a section of the bathroom plainly in her view. "You act like youve been married for years."

Lee glanced pointedly at Athena in the mirror, stepping aside so she could get closer to the sink. She winked at him and went about her business. They did act as if they had been married for years. And he had to admit the idea sounded great to his ears. He could think of no one he'd rather spend his life with.

"Well, I'd be lucky to have her," he admitted, speaking to Kara but still looking at Athena in the small mirror.

"Damn straight," he heard Kara mutter.

Once they were ready, the three of them walked to the hanger bay where most of the official ceremonies and assemblies were held. It was one of the few places large enough to accommodate the entire off-duty crew at one time. People were milling around and he and Athena greeted the people they knew, passing the short time until it was 1100 hours. He saw President Roslin and Billy in the distance and took Athena's arm, giving her a gentle tug so that she followed him over to them.

"Madam President," he greeted the older woman, thinking that she looked fairly well recovered from the exhausting trip. It had been tough on him, and he was in the peak of health, whereas she was suffering the effects of her illness. "It's good to see you in better circumstances."

"Yes," she agreed with a smile at both of them. "How are you, Captain Darr? Captain Apollo told me that you were seriously injured during your mission to Kobol."

"I'm recovering well," Athena told her, glancing at Lee as if to ask what the President knew about her injuries. Lee shook his head ever so slightly, telling her that the President knew nothing about the baby. "I'll be hobbling for a while, but I hope to be back in the cockpit in another four or five weeks."

"That's good to hear. Your Captain was quite worried about you," the President informed her in a soft tone, meant only for their ears. Lee blushed slightly at the way she spoke about him as if he weren't there, and then smiled over at the woman he loved. He had been worried about Athena and hadn't hesitated to let the President know what he had left behind in his support of her.

"Yes, I was worried about her," he admitted with a tender smile directed at Athena. "But thankfully, my father took good care of her for me while I was gone."

"And speaking of your father, I think its time to get things going. He's been glancing over this way," Athena stated, nodding up toward the dais where the Commander and Colonel Tigh were now standing, looking down at the crowd milling in the hanger bay.

Lee took Athena by the elbow and took his position, the President on his left and Athena at his right. Almost instantly Starbuck walked up to stand at Athena's other side and the remaining pilots took positions in the rows behind them. Lee shot them all a quick glance, silently warning them to act as befitted their rank. Under his watchful eye they quickly came to order and he gave them a nod of approval. They were a good group and he was proud of them all. Before another minute passed the entire room stood watchfully attentive toward the front of the room.

Lee felt Athena lean lightly into him and he smiled warmly at her. He knew that he was a changed man after the past few weeks. He was grateful for this day and for this single moment by her side, and he vowed to be grateful for every day they had together in the future. He was also proud to have her standing next to him, his partner in so many ways. She was his future, and he was a smart enough man to recognize that simple yet extremely important fact. Whether or not they ever found Earth, she was his home and together they were complete.

His father stepped forward, his eyes scanning the room from one side to the other, his expression as calm and unreadable as it ever had been. His eyes rested for a moment upon Lee and Athena, and he smiled the tiniest of smiles. Despite the odds, and against everything Lee had ever believed before the initial Cylon attack-here was another changed man. Lee watched in admiration as his father garnered the attention of the crowd without speaking a single word.

"We have struggled since the attacks, trying to rely on one another," the Commander began firmly, his voice filled with confidence as he addressed his crew, the delegates of the fleet, and the press. "Our strength and our only hope as a people is to remain undivided. We haven't always done all we could to ensure that. Many people believe that the scriptures, the letters from the gods, will lead us to salvation. Maybe they will. But the gods shall lift those who lift each other," his father quoted from the scriptures while he focused his gaze almost entirely on President Roslin. "And so, to lift all of us, let me present once again the President of the Colonies, Laura Roslin."

The Commander raised a hand to direct the attention of every eye in the room toward the President, and then began a slow, cadent clapping. Lee immediately joined his father, not surprised to hear Athena begin almost at the same time he did. Before a handful of seconds had passed, the entire room was clapping in an ever-quickening rhythm. The President looked both awed and humbled as she stood trembling with emotion next to Lee.

Lee acted instinctively and stepped out of line, holding an arm out for President Roslin to take. She looked at him in gratitude and placed her trembling hand in the crook of his elbow, allowing him to lead her to the front of the hanger bay. He took her hand and gave her into his father's care, watching as the Commander helped her up onto the small podium. Lee stepped back into place and, not caring who saw or cared, took Athena's hand in his own. This was the beginning of a new time for them all and he chose that small symbol of their unity as they shared the moment.

"I feel blessed to be here today," President Roslin began softly, her voice filled with emotion. "I don't know why I was one of the ones to survive the initial holocaust, or why any of you survived, but I do know that there _is_ a reason. However, I have come to learn in the past few weeks that it isn't enough for us to simply survive. It isn't enough for us to stand as individuals. If there is to be a hope of a future, it is as Commander Adama said, to be found in unity. We must heal the wounds that we have suffered at each others hands and put the past behind us. We must work _together_ to reach a common goal. We must find a new home, and I believe that home is Earth."

She paused for a long moment, looking at the people in the hanger bay, much as the Commander had done earlier. "Many have sacrificed their lives for us to learn the way to Earth, and I will not have that sacrifice be for nothing. Together, Commander Adama and I plan to lead this fleet to Earth. To our new home. I ask with all my heart that each and every one of you strive toward that goal. That you give all you have to give to the good of the group, so we all can attain that goal. So that we all can live a future of peace, hope, and dreams. It will not be easy. The journey is a long one and there will be dangers along the way. But I know we can overcome whatever obstacles we encounter if we work together."

President Roslin looked over at the Commander and smiled. "I give you my promise that I will work alongside Commander Adama to help us reach our new home on Earth. I give you my promise that I will do my part to do whatever needs to be done to accomplish that goal. I will not let the deaths of our friends and loved ones have been in vain. I ask the same of each and every one of you. Do your part to ensure the survival of our race by acting for the good of the entire fleet. Dream about what you want for your tomorrows and keep hope in your hearts that you will see those dreams come true. Thank you."

Lee felt Athena squeeze and then release his hand. She, and almost everyone in the deck began to applaud wildly. He smiled at the message of hope and commitment President Roslin had given and joined in the applause. He knew that the ovation was not just for the Presidents words, but was an affirmation of life and hope.

He glanced over at Athena's and knew that there would be a tomorrow for them all, as long as they were willing to work for it. Lee also knew that nothing came easy, but hope and faith could ease the way. He prayed it would be so for the fleet. And he prayed it would be so for he and Athena, because without her by his side, the future wouldnt be worth living.

xxxxx

Athena watched the talking and milling crew of the Galactica and felt a sense of pride. This had become _her_ ship. _Her_ crew. _Her_ friends and loved ones. After the inspiring words from both the Commander and President Roslin, she felt a renewed sense of hope for the future of their people.

She looked at the woman who had become a second mother and felt a combination of sadness and admiration. Laura Roslin was one of the strongest women she had ever known, and Athena was proud to follow her governance. She'd gone from a woman running a small office to one who was responsible for the very lives of the thousands of survivors remaining of their race. If the cancer in her body should take her from them, they would lose a strong, wise leader, and Athena would lose a cherished friend and confidante.

The Commander caught her eye across the room and sent her a gentle smile. Here was another changed man. Oh, in essence he was much the same as he'd ever been, but there was a new awareness about him. He was discovering that sharing the leadership of the fleet with Laura Roslin was infinitely better than doing it all alone. The shared burden was lighter for them both. Sure, he often found it difficult to look to others outside the military for solutions, but he was trying. As he was trying to develop and strengthen his relationship with Lee, despite the difficulties between them brought on by Adama stubbornness on both sides.

Colonel Tigh stood stiffly beside the Commander, uncomfortable and scowling at the front of the crowd. Athena knew he was a deeply flawed man, but a man who was loyal to the core and would die for his Commander and the crew of the Galactica. If he could just keep his personal demons at bay, he'd continue to be an asset to the Commander he served.

As she turned and watched the man she loved greeting the crew who had grown to admire and respect him, she realized that Lee had come even further than anythe others. In those first days on the Galactica, he had been as much an outsider as she had been... but look at him now. He had worked hard to develop a relationship with his father and the pilots he was destined to lead, and he had achieved his goal, while at the same time refusing to compromise his beliefs. He had softened enough to let her inside, to see the man he'd kept hidden for years. And there was no one she loved and respected more.

"What are you thinking?" Lee asked as he caught her gaze and moved to stand beside her, looking out at the crowd.

"That I'm proud of you. That I'd gladly go to my death for you. For your father. For this crew."

He paled at her words and reached out to take her face in both of his hands. "Let's make sure it doesn't come to that, Athena. I'd much rather you live your life _with_ me than die for me. Or for any of us."

Athena smiled and nodded. That would be her first choice, too. But it would be a long journey to Earth, and only the gods knew what was ahead of them. Athena could only take one day at a time, but she vowed to live each one of those days to the fullest.

That was the only thing of which she could be certain.

xxxxx

END OF Book One

Thank you all for your wonderful feedback. It is always nice to hear positive feedback and constructive criticism. I am hard at work on my next book titled _BSG: In Search of_ _Earth_ and hope to begin posting within the next month or so.

If you enjoyed my style of writing in this fanfic story, you might enjoy reading one of my original novels published for Amazon Kindle, titled "Finding Normal", which is Book 1 of my Smithsonian Institute for the Exceptional Series. I expect the second book to be published before the end of the year.

Denise Bickmore


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